Almost everyone gets turned down at least once for SSDI, and VA Disability Comp is almost as bad. I was 100% VA disabled, and still had to battle them for benefits. The military teaches you to be stoic, and show no weakness. These agencies need to see you and talk to you on your absolutely WORSE days, unmedicated and desperate. I tend to dress up to go out in public, but for these guys no make-up, because if I look good I must feel good (and they note it in your charts). Sure, my pain is at a level of 3 on a scale of 1 to 10, but I'm so medicated that I can't drive, operate machinery, or walk very far, so when I go in for a range of motion test no pain pills. No anti-anxiety meds when I had my psyche appointments. Am I manipulating the system? Hell, no! I can't afford my meds without the benefits, I can't work with the meds, my quality of life sucks, and would suck even more if I had to live without VA or SSDI. When you fill out your forms don't lie, just tell them what your life is like when you have no meds, no help around the house, no help with the yard, no one to drive your kids around, a lack of ability to go anywhere that doesn't rent wheelchairs, no desire to go out of the house because by the time you spend any amount of time out you are in so much pain that you need to turn around and go home so you can take your meds and lay down. Family vacations? Hotel beds, standing in lines, going on rides? Ah, no more stoicism. Just reality. Put worst case scenerio, then add some. You can also have spouses and care-givers fill those forms out, too. I actually had one of my children write down what life was like now that his Mom's back was broken and she had her "nervous breakdown". I got my benefits for myself and my family. OH YEAH, ITS BETTER TO SPEND MONEY ON NOLO'S GUIDE TO GETTING SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS than to spend it on an attorney.