Of the 54 cases DAFCF has taken on from initial application and eventually won, 49 were denied on initial application. Of those 49, 36 were denied on first appeal. Of those 36 some were won in a subsequent appeal, and others were won in a hearing (some states allow for a 2nd appeal at the DDS level).
So being denied is the absolute norm. Having someone/some organization who knows how to word an appeal while taking into consideration the impairment listings and incorporate them into your appeal, is an absolute necessity.
If you haven't already contacted Beth Sufian, DAFCF would be happy to help! www.dafcf.org, email: services@dafcf.org