One recurrent question clients and their families ask is, “Why does the federal government take so long to get to, and then decide, our Social Security Disability case?”

A huge number of cases are filed each year, and there are several stages at which they can be denied or delayed. As the graph on page 3 demonstrates, our best chance for success seems to be at the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) level. Presenting our case, our client, and their witnesses at a hearing before a live human being has been successful in many, but not all, cases. After the ALJ hearing level, the statistics fall off, with the additional delay and expense of federal court litigation.

The 2007 National Ranking Report lists the average processing time nationally as 508 days. Hearing offices in which we have tried cases have processing times as follows: Charleston (473), Washington (417), Richmond (388), and Tampa (614). Evidence tends to suggest that these cases will continue to take a long time, even though: no one is being sued; our clients are merely seeking the money that was set aside from their paychecks for many years; and, there is no inquiry as to whether the disability has more than one cause. If you or a loved one is disabled, call the team at ABRAMS LANDAU. We have experience with Social Security Disability Income cases, and Doug Landau has gotten clients benefits in states all over the country.