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How Long Will It Take to Receive Benefits?

At Jorgensen Law, we represent clients throughout the state of California in Social Security Disability matters. One of the most common questions we receive from new clients is how long it will take to receive an award of SSDI or SSI benefits.

The answer is two-fold. First, all applicants for SSDI or SSI should understand that there is no absolute guarantee that their application for benefits will be granted. The Social Security Administration denies approximately 70 percent of all initial claims for benefits.

The good news is that people with an attorney have a significantly better chance of success. In addition, our firm has handled thousands of Social Security Disability cases, so we know how to handle your case in an efficient and effective manner.

Our Efficient and Proactive Approach

The process of applying for benefits is often slow and frustrating. However, we do everything in our power to improve the efficiency of claims. Attorney Don H. Jorgensen conducts an exhaustive review of each case and gathers critical evidence through communication with doctors and their staff. Unlike many lawyers, Mr. Jorgensen drafts a legal brief detailing each client’s disability status and a basis for recovery that is provided early in the process of each case.

A General Timeline

If your initial application has been denied, you have 60 days to appeal for reconsideration. An average time for the reconsideration stage is three to four months, but it can take six months or longer.

If your first appeal is denied, you must file an appeal within 60 days requesting a hearing in person before an Administrative Law Judge. The average time for scheduling this hearing is eight to twelve months, and it will typically take the judge 30 to 120 days to issue an order after the hearing. In total, this stage of the case may take an additional 12 to 18 months, or longer. Our firm has had significant success at this stage of the process.

However, if your claim is denied by the Administrative Law Judge, you may choose to go to the next level, which is the Appeals Council. The average processing time for this stage of the process is approximately 18-24 months. If you are unsuccessful before the Appeals Council, we can file a civil suit in Federal District Court and even appeal your case all the way to the United States Supreme Court if necessary.