The process of applying for Social Security disability benefits is long and tedious, and it can be months before your claim is processed. There are always thousands of Social Security disability cases pending hearing before administrative law judges. Social Security disability claimants in the metro Atlanta area can visit either the Downtown Atlanta office or the North Atlanta office. As of June 2019, according to data reported by the National Organization of Social Security Claimants’ Representatives, 7539 cases were pending in the Downtown area and 4564 cases pending in the North area.
The average processing time per claim in the Downtown office was 579 days with an average of 1.89 dispositions. The total number of hearings as of June this year was 4077. A Social Security disability hearing allows claimants to present more documentation and solid evidence to increase their chances of recovering disability benefits. While there are options of online hearings, most hearings are held in person. The in-person hearing rate percentage at the Atlanta Downtown office was 93.5. The Downtown office has one of the highest rates of in-person hearings in the country.
At the Atlanta North office, the processing time was 463 days with 1.96 administrative law judge hearings taking place per judge. There were a total of 2606 hearings conducted, and the percentage of in-person hearings was 76.6.
The process of applying for claims for certain conditions as well as appealing denials of claims can be very complex. The agency’s documentation requirements can be very specific. Contact my law firm for help with filing your claim or your appeal.