Social Security Disability Hearing Decisions

At the end of your disability hearing, the administrative law judge does not usually render a decision right away.

It will often take the judge a few weeks to make a decision. All you can do is go home and wait for a hearing decision to arrive in the mail.

There is no way for you to really know how long it will take before you get your decision in the mail, but you should expect it to take a long time. Even if the administrative law judge actually told you at your hearing that he would approve your disability claim, it will still take a while to receive your official approval letter. After the administrative law judge makes the decision on your disability hearing, the actual notice of the decision is completed by a decision writer at the hearing office.

The decision writers are backed up and new decisions can take a while before they are written up. If the judge at your hearing tells you it will take two weeks for a decision, that might mean that the judge will be done with his part in two weeks, but it probably does not mean you will receive your decision in two weeks.

Typically, you should expect to receive a decision within six to twelve weeks.

If you are approved, you will probably receive back pay for the past months, and your benefits will start soon after your approval letter arrives. If the judge denies the claim, your next course of action is to file with the Appeals Council.

Nation-Wide, over 50% of hearings for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) end in approval. If you are represented by a disability attorney, your chances of approval could be as high as 80%.

If you have been denied disability, or if you have questions, talk with an experienced disability attorney who can help you with your case. Click here to schedule a free consultation with an experienced disability attorney in the San Diego & Los Angeles area, and all of Southern California.