Jennifer,
Everything that Birchlake is telling you is what I would tell you too. But please, please find an attorney that practices RSD situations first...

I'm going to disagree with Jimbo (a rare thing indeed) that you need an attorney with RSD experience. You just need a really good SSD attorney. RSD in not a "listed impairment" so you need to really document your functional limitations. Being in denial can delay your approval. A few appointments with a pain psych doc is probably important right now. You didn't have a WC psych claim, when this started, but you very likely DO now.

I'm even more blunt now than normal due to pain... Sorry.

Another good resource is a social worker. There may be one connected to the medical facility that you use. Any good SSDI attorney will work on a contingency fee, i.e. if you get paid they get paid. Be aware that this is a long procedure and you may want to start now rather than later. There is also a lot of paperwork involved with the initial application, and of course the waiting time since it is a federal program. Lisa

I agree about getting legal representation...the first time I applied, I had no idea what I was doing and half of my medical records didn't get to Social Security. I am "lucky" in the fact that I was born with Cerebral Palsy and I worked in the same field for 24 years. I also suffer from severe depression and anxiety, so hopefully with all that I will get my SSDI. I have one more exam and SS has ALL my medical records. My legal team is fantastic so it's looking really good right now. Make sure that you have EVERY single record you have. Also if you get a lawyer, they WANT you to win so they can get paid..

Lit Love,
You may disagree with me (from time to time)............just don't make a habit of it!(lol)

Jimbo,
I think it's ideal to find an excellent SSDI attorney with RSD experience, but I just don't think the RSD experience is vital. The OP is in Hawaii, so unless she's on Oahu, it might be a difficult task to find one anyway.

Since we all differ so much, it's hard to compare RSD patients anyway. And what is required to prove each applicant can vary so much, IMO, that you really have to address all the functional limitations, severity of symptoms, meds, and their side effects, etc.

It's a tough balancing act deciding WHEN to file. The longer you wait, the more your finances are hurt. But, you can delay approval by not being mentally prepared and learning what is required of you to document the severity of your disability.

You have to stay optimistic about your potential to go into remission. On the other hand, you have to be brutally honest with the reality of your current limitations. This can be confusing and overwhelming.

RSD does change our brain chemistry. Depression is a real issue. Having to accept a long-term, even potentially permanent, disability is a major life stressor. Getting help to sort through all the feelings that will come with the SSD process, on top of Everything else, is probably a good idea in general...

I didn't use an atty at all. But also didn't file until I was placed on the rollabout. The SSD people told me that is why I was approved.