If you have filed a Social Security disability appeal, there are a couple of ways you can check the status of your appeal.
If you want to know what is going on with your appeal, your first step should be to contact your local Social Security office. Generally, an SSA field office will at least be able to tell you if your disability appeal is being worked on, which is particularly important if you mailed your appeal in.
However, having said that, it is unlikely your local office can tell you much more. When you call your local office, a claims representative or service representative will check their query systems that interface with the state disability determination agency (DDS) or the Social Security disability hearings office.
If Your Case Is at the DDS
If you have filed a reconsideration appeal, your claims will still be at the DDS. You can contact the actual disability examiner at DDS who is making the determination in your case. You can get their contact number from your local Social Security office or from any correspondence your have received from the DDS.
The query system for DDS shows:
- if the disability appeal is in the agency
- what unit your disability claim is assigned to, and
- if your disability claim is active (meaning the disability examiner is still working on the claim) or closed (meaning a disability decision has been made).
If you call the disability examiner directly, he or she may be able to provide you with more information about the status of your appeal. Perhaps they need more information from you or need to schedule a consultative examination. Sometimes your call can get your appeal moving again.
If Your Case Is at the Hearings Office
The query system for the hearing office indicates:
- when the hearing office received your hearing request
- if they a hearing date has been set, and
- the decisional outcome of your disability hearing (if it has already happened).
Reasons to Check the Status of Your Appeal
It is good advice for you to check the status of your social security appeal from time to time. Sometimes the DDS sends you decisional notices or requests for additional information that get lost in the mail. If your decisional notice is lost in the mail, you may not be able to file your next appeal timely. Moreover, if the disability examiner is unable to reach you to schedule a consultative examination, or to get additional information needed to make a medical decision, your disability claim could be denied for failure to cooperate. So, there are many reasons to periodically check the progress of your Social Security disability appeal.
Learn more about the reconsideration appeal process.
