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This is a pretty commonly asked question and for good reason. Individuals who have already gone through the initial application and reconsideration phase of a social security disability (or SSI) case have already put a long number of months into the appeals process. And without a doubt, the time spent waiting for a disability hearing will not only have been considerable but financially rocky as well. What is the average wait time for a disability hearing? It varies--sometimes greatly--depending on where you live. For example, in the year 2005 there was a great degree of variance in the wait time for a hearing between different hearing offices within the state of North Carolina. The OHA (office of hearings and appeals) in Raleigh, NC had a wait time of 18-24 months, while the hearing office in Charlotte, NC had a wait time of perhaps 13-14 months. How could there be such a difference when the social security disability and SSI programs are federal and standardized (meaning that the system is "supposed" to operate the same no matter where you live in America)? That's a very good question. And to get the answer to such a question, you'd probably have to ask the individual clerks and ALJs (administrative law judges) who work at different hearing offices to get their rationales as to what might account for the difference. Speculation: while it is true that some hearing offices have to deal with greater numbers of cases, another part of the answer is probably that some hearings offices are simply better organized and more efficient, while other hearings offices are less organized and less efficient. Unfortunately, a disability applicant will no choice as to which hearings office will be assigned their case. To find out how long a hearing will probably take in your area, you might consider contacting a claims rep at the social security office where you originally filed your claim. However, since SSA claims rep have very little to do with an SSDI or SSI case after it's been sent to the hearing office, you probably should contact a social security lawyer to glean information into how long it may take to get a hearing date scheduled where you live. On average, such lawyers will be very familiar with how "gummed up" the system is in the areas in which they operate (after all, they have a vested interest in such issues). Can you speed up how long it takes to get a disability hearing date, despite lengthy "average" wait times? Possibly. For commentary on this, please refer to the following links. What is the maximum wait time for a disability hearing with an ALJ? How to possibly speed up a request for a social security or ssi disability hearing Social security disability and SSI - the office of hearings and appeals What happens at a social security disability hearing? How to act before a judge at a social security disability or SSI hearing Where do they hold social security disability and SSI disability hearings? Should you call social security to check on a disability hearing? Advice for a disability hearing Disability Advocates Help with Claims Free Case Evaluation |
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SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY SSI LAWYERS ATTORNEYS ANSWERS TO YOUR SSDI & SSI QUESTIONS PAGE 3 ANSWERS TO YOUR SSDI & SSI QUESTIONS PAGE 4 |
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If you suffer from a medical disability such as hip, neck, shoulder, ankle, wrist, back, or other joint problems, disc herniation, degenerative disc disease, spinal stenosis, carpal tunnel syndrome, rsi or repetetive stress injury, inflammatory bowel disease, ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, arthritis, dysthymia, depression or other mood disorders, congestive or chronic heart failure, type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, diabetic neuropathy, high blood pressure (hypertension), seizure disorder, stroke, copd, emphysema, hearing loss or poor hearing, statutory blindness, peripheral field problems or other vision loss, clinical obesity, attention deficit hyperactivity or, simply, adhd, bipolar disorder or manic depression, panic disorder, schizophrenia, autism, head trauma, memory loss, low iq, mental retardation, learning disability, epilepsy, cancer, chronic fatigue, multiple sclerosis, lupus, anxiety, inner ear problems, meniere's, vertigo or dizziness, kidney failure requiring dialysis or other renal problems, cirrhosis, hepatitis, or other liver disease, pancreatitis, osteoarthritis, osteoporosis, asthma, bronchitis, cystic fibrosis, rsd or reflex sympathetic dystrophy, crohn's disease, sarcoidosis, peripheral vascular disease, lyme disease, cerebral palsy, down syndrome, hiv, aids, anemia, sickle cell, thyroid problems including hypothyroidism, esrd or end stage renal disease, reflux, gerd (gastroesophageal reflux disease), cfids, muscular dystrophy, coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathy, or tachycardia, bradycardia or other arrhythmia and have initiated or been denied on a social security disability, or ssi, claim for benefits, this site may assist you with your case. Social Security Disability benefits are often difficult to win; however many claims for social security disability are lost simply because a claimant did not know enough about the disability process to their social security or ssi claim. For information re: representation on a social security disability or ssi claim (attorney or non attorney representative), see the "questions" & "how" pages. |
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