 SSDRC What is the Application Process for Social Security Disability and SSI? How do you Win Benefits under Social Security Disability or SSI? If I am determined disabled, how far back will Social Security pay benefits? How do you prove your disability case if you have a mental condition? What Can I Do to Improve My Chances of Winning Disability Benefits Common Mistakes after Receiving a Denial of Social Security Disability or SSI Benefits How to File for Disability - Tips for Filing If You Get Approved For SSDI Will You Also Get Medicare? How much does a Social Security disability attorney get paid? Social Security Disability SSI Criteria and the Evaluation Process How long does it take to be approved for SSI or Social Security disability? What do you Need to Prove to Qualify for Disability Benefits? Social Security Disability SSI and Fibromyalgia Social Security Disability SSI and Degenerative Disc Disease Can I Qualify For Disability and Receive Benefits based on Depression? Answers to questions about SSD and SSI disability What Disabilities Qualify for SSI and Social Security Disability Benefits? Social Security Disability Status Social Security Disability Tips — how a claim gets worked on Social Security Disability, SSI Disability - Terms, Definitions, Concepts |
What is the time frame for a judge to make a decision for a disability hearing?How to prove you are disabled and win disability benefits Social Security administrative law judges have no time frame in which to make their disability hearing decision. Generally, they do not write their case decisions. Most disability decisions are written by decision writers; considering the backlog of hearings across the nation, it is probably more productive to use decision writers rather than bog judges down with decision writing. Their time is better spent hearing disability cases. Once a disability hearing has taken place, the judge provides his decision and the basis of his determination to a decision writer. The decision writer formulates a written disability hearing decision. Once they complete the written hearing decision, they send it to the judge for a review. The judge makes any necessary corrections and returns it to the decision writer for completion. After completion, the hearing decision is sent to a payment center for adjudication. As you might imagine this process can take some time. In the past, there have been times when disability applicants did not receive their hearing decision for a year or more. Sometimes their disability representative was at fault for not providing medical evidence promised at the hearing, which caused the disability claim to be on hold. While at other times, necessary evidence was provided and in file, but hearing office personnel were not aware of it. Whatever the reason, hearing decisions were sometimes lost in the shuffle. A lot of this has changed with the advent of the electronic disability claim process. Moving to electronic disability folders allowed Social Security to keep better track of all disability cases, which has led to more timely processing of disability claims at all levels including the disability hearing level. If you have not received your written hearing decision within ninety days of your disability hearing, you should check the status of your disability case. You can do this by contacting the disability hearing office responsible for your case. They most likely will not give your disability hearing decision, however they can tell you if a decision has been made. Security hearings offices process thousands of disability claims each year--because of the enormous workloads at hearing’s offices across the nation it is not unusual for some hearing decisions to be delayed or misplaced. 
Return to: SSDRC, or the Questions, Answers, Tips, and Advice page Individual Questions and Answers SSD and SSI are Federal Programs The title II Social Security Disability and title 16 SSI Disability programs operate under federal guidelines and, therefore, the program requirements--medical and non-medical--apply to all states: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming Recent approval and denial statistics for various states can be viewed here: Social Security Disability, SSI Approval and Denial Statistics by state Special Section: Disability Lawyers and unnecessary claim denials |