If Your First Appeal For Disability Benefits is Denied - Appeal Again

You've taken all the appropriate action recommendedrepresentation. An expert Advocate or disability
by the Social Security Administration (SSA) to getattorney can help with everything that is required to be
them to reconsider their denial decision on yourwell-prepared when you finally, after months of waiting,
disability benefits application. You've been denied, again.get to meet the judge.
After the reconsideration process, what should you doYou Don't Have to Meet Your ALJ in Person
next?You may be concerned about having to travel to your
Ask for a Hearinghearing. For some cases this isn't an issue. You can
The second level in the appeals process is a hearingrequest a video teleconference instead. In fact, about
with an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ). This is quite40 percent of hearings are held in remote locations.
possibly your best opportunity for getting an approvalSometimes a hearing can actually be scheduled more
on your disability claim because this is when you canquickly if it takes place remotely. If traveling is a
actually meet face-to-face with the judge and discussproblem for you, let SSA know as soon as possible
your case.around the time your request for a hearing is
As with the reconsideration process, you have 60submitted.
days from the time you received your denial notice toWhat Happens at the Hearing
request a hearing with an ALJ. If you miss that windowYou get a completely new review at a hearing. You
of time, you stand a very high probability of gettingwill be under oath and you will be questioned, as will
your application totally dismissed. Then, you will haveany witnesses you bring along. This is an informal
lost any further chances of getting disability benefits.hearing but it is recorded. After it's over, the ALJ will
Your request for a hearing goes to the Office ofstudy everything and notify you in writing of the
Disability Adjudication and Review (ODAR), which is andecision.
enormous administrative adjudication systemBe Prepared
responsible for holding hearings and issuing decisionsHearings are scheduled two to three months in
on Social Security disability insurance applications.advance of the date. If you have new evidence that
ODAR will assign your case to an ALJ at one of thewill strengthen your case, submit it as soon as possible.
143 hearing offices around the country. The ALJIf information arrives at the hearing office late, you
assigned to your case is usually located within a 75could cause unnecessary delays in an already long
mile-radius from where you live.waiting process. You have plenty of time to be
How Long to Wait for a Disability Appeal Hearingprepared. Don't waste it.
The national average processing time until the finalYour SSDI Advocate or lawyer will already know
disposition of a hearing request is 444 days. Your waitwhat to do to make sure you are prepared for your
may not be this long, however, depending on thehearing. However, if you think you still want to handle
hearing office. The SSA Web site provides data on allyour appeal on your own, you can request your
143 hearing offices so that people waiting for theirhearing online at the SSA Web site, submit your
hearing can estimate how long it may take.request by mail, or call SSA at 800-772-1213 for more
Should You Get Representation?guidance on all the forms you must submit to request
Your hearing is your chance to prove why you shoulda hearing.
be approved for disability benefits. You can bringRemember, the hearing level is probably your best
witnesses to your hearing. And you can provide morechance of winning benefits. Consider an Advocate or
evidence to strengthen information about your medicalattorney to help you. They are the experts when it
condition. Obviously, it is crucial that your case is ascomes to understanding the appeals process and how
complete as possible. You can certainly handle all ofto improve your chances of getting approved for
this on your own, but you do have the right todisability benefits.