Speeding Up SQL Query Time

Consider this SQL Query:
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SELECT c.CASE_NBR, DATEDIFF(d, c.CREATE_DT, GETDATE()) AS Age,
c.AFFD_RCVD, c.PRV_CRD_ISS, x.RegE, x.Type, x.Fraud,
c.CUST_FN + ' ' + c.CUST_LN AS CustFullName,
c.ATM_CKCD_NBR, x.TotalLoss, x.Queue, x.Status,
c.QUEUE AS Expr1, x.CHECK_ACT_NBR, c.CUST_LN, c.SSN,
c.CREATE_DT
FROM (
SELECT TOP 9999999 cl.CASE_NBR, cl.SSN, cl.CREATE_DT,
SUM(cast(TRANS_AMNT AS float)) AS TotalLoss,
glQueue.REFN_NM AS Queue,
glStatus.REFN_NM AS Status,
grRegE.REFN_NM AS RegE, grType.REFN_NM AS Type,
grFraud.REFN_NM AS Fraud, cl.CHECK_ACT_NBR
FROM (
((((T_CASE_LST AS cl LEFT JOIN
T_INCIDENT_LST AS il ON cl.CASE_NBR = il.CASE_NBR)
INNER JOIN T_GNRL_REFN AS glQueue
ON cl.QUEUE = glQueue.REFN_NBR)
INNER JOIN T_GNRL_REFN AS glStatus
ON cl.STATUS_CD = glStatus.REFN_NBR)
INNER JOIN T_GNRL_REFN AS grRegE
ON cl.REGE_CD = grRegE.REFN_NBR)
INNER JOIN T_GNRL_REFN AS grType
ON cl.CASE_TYPE_CD = grType.REFN_NBR
)
INNER JOIN T_GNRL_REFN AS grFraud ON cl.FRAUD_CD =
grFraud.REFN_NBR
WHERE (
((glQueue.REFN_DESC) = 'Queue')
AND ((glStatus.REFN_DESC) = 'STATUS_CD')
AND ((grRegE.REFN_DESC) = 'YesNo')
AND ((grType.REFN_DESC) = 'Fraud_Code')
AND ((cl.STATUS_CD) = 0)
)
GROUP BY cl.CASE_NBR, glQueue.REFN_NM, glStatus.REFN_NM,
grRegE.REFN_NM, grType.REFN_NM, grFraud.REFN_NM,
grFraud.REFN_DESC, cl.CHECK_ACT_NBR,
cl.SSN, cl.CREATE_DT
HAVING (((grFraud.REFN_DESC) = 'YesNo'))
) x
LEFT OUTER JOIN T_CASE_LST c ON x.CASE_NBR = c.CASE_NBR
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1. Is there anything that can be done to speed up the query?
2. This part of the query: ... AND ((cl.STATUS_CD) = 0 ... where the 0
is actually a variable passed in via a VB application. 0 would be new
cases, and normally return around 4000 - 5000 records.
3. The SQL server, Web Server, and users, are all in different states.
4. The time to return this query where cl.STATUS_CD = 0 is about 7 -
12 seconds.
5. Is this a reasonable time for this query? What can be done to
increase the time?
6. The SQL server is indexed on T_CASE_LST.STATUS_CD and
T_INCIDENT_LST.CASE_NBR, but not on any field from T_GNRL_REFN since
T_GNRL_REFN is only a general lookup table, and contains less than 50
records.
7. I've built the query as a stored procedure, and it works, though no
measurable speed increase was obtained.
8. I have not attempted building a view to aid this, as I don't see
that helping... or will it?
9. Well: any ideas?
10. I would gladly rewrite the SQL Query if it could return the same
data faster using another method.
11. Is there a way to accomplish the joins involved with the
T_GNRL_REFN in another manner to make it quicker?
12. Is there a better way to add the values in T_INCIDENT_LST than:
.... SUM(cast(TRANS_AMNT AS float)) AS TotalLoss ... ?
13. I don't care if its pretty, I just need it faster.
14. How can I get the summing of T_INCIDENT_LST.TRANS_AMNT without a
derived table...? I know that using the derived table is slowing it
down some.
**** Any Ideas ****

David