Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) – Length of Claims
I periodically write about the average processing times for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) claims at the hearing offices. For instance, my latest update on this was on June 4, 2015. The average processing times and hearing wait times are growing and are inexcusable. However, we are apt to forget that these claims have already been through the application and reconsideration levels. I am often asked by claimants and potential clients how long the process takes if the claim goes all the way through to a hearing and I often say it can take up to two years.
However, I decided to get a more concrete sampling. I looked at four of my Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) claims and one childhood SSI claim soon to be heard to get a better grasp of numbers involved. The SSI claim had a date of application of September 10, 2013 and the hearing occurred on July 2, 2015 making a total time of 661 days or one year, nine months, and 23 days. It was the shortest time period involved.
The SSDI claims ranged from 755 days (2 years and 25 days), 777 days (2 years, 1 month, and 17 days), 800 days (2 years, 2 months, and 9 days), up to a whopping 996 days (2 years, 8 months, and 23 days).
The variances occur most within the application and reconsideration stages where the decision making is performed by DDS. I believe such reasons have to do with the examiner involved, amount of medical evidence gathered, whether CE’s were ordered, how quickly the claimant returned forms, etc. Sometimes the local office might let something fall through the crack, which can delay the processing of a claim. Regardless, all of these time periods are too long and whether a claimant is approved or denied, he or she should not have to wait so long to get a final decision. One reform could be to eliminate the reconsideration stage throughout the nation.
If you need more information about a Social Security Disability/SSI, personal injury, EEOICPA, long or short-term disability, VA disability, Railroad Retirement Board disability, or a workers compensation matter, please contact the Law Offices of Tony Farmer and John Dreiser for a free case evaluation. We can be reached at (865) 584-1211 or (800) 806-4611 or through our website. Our office handles claims throughout Tennessee and nationwide for SSD/SSI claims.