Definately, appeal. When you applied did you submit medical evidence with your application? Also non-medical evidence is important, like your absentee rate. Letters from doctors? If not, you might want to submit them with your appeal. The first appeal is called reconsideration Unfortunately, 89% of claims are denied at his level.
I would consider filing your first appeal without a lawyer then if you get denied hire a lawyer. You can call Social Security get your records and the reason you were denied (typically you can do current, past or other work). Then correct the application's faults.
Also, the Adult Function Report is an important supplemental document to submit with your appeal if you didn't submit it with your application. Write as much detail as you can. Everything is important when filing your claim.
There is a copy of the Adult Functioin Report on my ** Also, your doctor should fill out the Physical Residual Function Report, also available on the website.
Good luck. Keep us informed as to what happens.

I suggest you file your reconsideration yourself. Contact SSA immediately and get a copy of your file. It will ssay why you were denied benefits. Submit as much medical evidence and non-medical evidence as you can with your appeal. Write summaries of the medical evidence, detail descriptions of your limitations and get doctor's letters.
Most claims are denied at reconsideration and lawyers do not make an effort to get you approved at the first appeal.
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I have a UAW attorney and Have already been turned down twice in 13 months.I am fighting with an appeal,however even my epi agrees that i might be able to do office work.With my memory problems and severe twitching I find that impossible add severe depression-I havent been out of my pjs in 5 months My epi said i need to be on medical retirement as im not going back to factory work-I have left temporal lobe epilepsy.

What do your doctors think? Are you seeing someone for the depression issues? It basically boils down to what your doctors think of your condition. Will it improve? And can you do any type of work based on your skills and education level.

According to my physicatrist he said as the pain worsens the depression deepens and he just raised my med and tryed new nerve pills. I go see him in one month, but he basically told me if this didn't help he didn't think anything esle would.

I've just recently applied for disability myself, after being fired or near fired from several jobs over the last few years.. Finding that no one wants to work with me and that work has become near impossible with the memory loss and concentration blocks I have after brain surgery due to a tumor and seizure disorder.
What I'm wondering is if it's really worth it? Doesn't sound like a lot of people actually get approved. I've got all these people (including employers) telling me I should be on disability, but it seems like when you really need it you can't get it, right?
I'm hearing stories about being disqualified because you may still be able to do work you used to do (like 10 years ago or more?) How is that considered acceptable when the work you did eons ago was minimum wage with no benefits and not at all comparable to the work you've been doing recently or within the last few years? You can't earn a living on that.. Not that disability pays much, but do you see my point?

Hey mel,
On this thread there are 5 guidelines the SSA uses to determine your disability. It explains what you need to qualify. You need to prove you cannot do any SGA- Substantial Gainful Activity and other significant steps.

I am so sorry to hear yoou were denied. Do appeal. You can do your own appeal if you want. Also contact SSA and get your records to find out more about why they denied your claim. If you get a lawyer they will need it anyway.
They appeal is just about the same application as the first except you can only put in what is new since the date of your denial and anything you forgot in your first application. Depending on how thorough your first application was and how much medical evidence you submitted, also the RFC (Residual Functional Capacity) form from your doc and an Adult Function Report from you, there may be a lot of evidence you can submit with your appeal.
Chances are not in your favor, 86% get rejected with or without a lawyer.
If you decide to appeal on you own you need to work fast becausse of the time line.
Good luck, hang in there.

I'm so sorry you got denied. Your chance for a positive outcome of your appeal is slim. 86% of reconsiderations are denied. Depending on how detailed your first application was you could file yourslef with a great deal more detail and medical records. The reconsideration is based on new information since the date of your application or anything that wasn't included. I would contact the Socials Security Administration and ask for a copy of your file. It will have more information about why you were denied than your denial letter.
If you get an attorney thoroughly vet them, know their rate of success at each appeal level.

I've been getting denied consistently for over six-years, thats including a hearing with an ALJ and a denial at the appeals council.(attorney then dropped me as a client)
Just had my second visit with an ALJ with a second attorney, and after the fact he explained the extremely low odds of my winning anywhere but in federal court!
Good luck, but my heart tells me you're in for a long, long journey with absolutely no assurances of success at the end of it!