Should I appeal unfavorable decision on my SSDI claim?

Appealing an unfavorable SSDI decision is definitely a challenge.  The Appeals Council, that is the appellate body that hears an appeal from the decision of the Administrative Law Judge, will not typically reverse the ALJ decision unless they find that the judge abused her discretion, made an error in applying the law, made a procedural error, or made findings and conclusions that were not supported by the evidence.  That is a difficult burden for an applicant to meet.  These judges know the law and the procedure pretty well.  And, in many cases, they deny claims because they did not find the claimant credible.  So, how can you show that the Administrative Law Judge's conclusions were not supported by the evidence when they are based on something as subjective as her appraisal of the claimant's credibility?  The Appeals Council does not wish to attempt to step into the judge's shoes and second guess her appraisal of credibility.  They should not and will not.

Accordingly, at this stage of the game, it's time to talk to a disability attorney.  The attorney will be able to review the judgment and decide if it is worth the time an energy to attempt an appeal, or whether it is better for you to simply file a new claim.  You can file a new SSDI claim immediately.