I did my SSDI claim myself. I was denied the first two times, but appealed a third and won it with similar ailments.
Unfortunately, it was a partially favorable decision because I let time lapse between the first and second appeal which took off about 3 years of retroactive backpay time.
I always tell people that these things are manageable if you buckle down and be as thorough as possible. I don't think a claim should ever be made and submitted on the same day, or even the same week for that matter. It should be meticulously put together each time, only adding more information to help your case in the need of an appeal.
You might be denied or you could be lucky and get your award right away; there's no knowing with this type of thing, even with a lawyer.
Good luck and keep us posted!
