HUNTSVILLE DISABILITY GUIDE

In 2008, the average wait time for a Social Security disability hearing was 514 days.  In 2011, the wait time fell to 360 days.  By the end of fiscal 2013, the goal is further reduce the wait down to 270 days - or about nine months. My experience here in Alabama is that the Offices of Disability Adjudication and Review are frantically scheduling hearings and using every opportunity available to reduce the wait.  This means holding hearings at district offices, "satellite" locations and using video teleconferences.  I am actually seeing some hearings scheduled within the 9 month period already. Most of the claimants that I represent are in dire need of their disability benefits.  Some are virtually homeless, living with a friend or relative until they can get their disability case resolved.  Some are suffering home foreclosures.  Many cannot afford urgent medical care.   The reduced waiting times are good news for these claimants.

Starting November 19th, 2012 Social Security district offices will begin closing 1 hour earlier. (The Huntsville and Decatur offices have been closing at 3:00 PM for some time).  Beginning January 2, 2013 Social Security district offices will begin closing to the public each Wednesday at noon. Why the change?  There is a hiring freeze and overtime restrictions at Social Security. The district offices cannot afford to pay overtime necessary to maintain the hours or levels of service they provided in the past.   This means several things to the public who may have business with Social Security.  Expect to wait longer to see someone when you visit a district office and expect a longer on hold time when you call a Social Security office.  Employees will still work regular hours but the Social Security district offices will be closed to the public earlier each day.  Another problem may be delays in processing SSI claims and payments, since SSI payment...

I recently received a phone call from a lady who told me she had just walked out of a Social Security disability hearing.  She had gone in unrepresented and the judge suggested that she delay her hearing and find representation.  Good advice and most judges will either postpone the hearing to give the claimant a chance to hire a representative or they will have the claimant sign a waiver of representation. Here is what my client said about her experience with the hearing.  "It took me about five minutes to realize that I was in over my head.  I thought it was just a matter of going in and telling my story to the judge.  I found out it involves much more than that." Some of the things you will probably have to deal with in a Social Security disability hearing include: potentially adverse testimony from the vocational expert challenge to some of your evidence from the hearing judge Has your past work been properly classified? Are the judge's hypothetical ...