How Long Does a Social Security Disability Appeal Take? (REAL Timeline Explained) | REMASTERED (2012)

0:12 I am your host attorney, Anthony Reeves. So let's go ahead and get to your question. How long will an appeal take before I get into decision? This is the one thing that I got to say on answering this question for those of you who have representatives who feel like that all the representatives is saying, ah, man, you're just making me you know, there's nothing we can do.

0:34 All my representatives saying is we have to wait. I have to be the bearer of bad news, and let me speak on behalf of all representatives, even though I can't speak for them, but just my own personal opinion. When they're telling you there's nothing we could do, but wait, they're telling you the truth.

0:50 Seriously, back on a second and listen carefully.

0:54 There are nothing in the regulations, at least nothing that I have found, that requires Social Security to render a decision within a set time period.

1:04 Listen, what did I just say?

1:06 There is nothing in the regulations that requires Social Security to render a decision within a set time So when you call your representative and ask them how long and they either one say they don't know or they give you an approximation, it's because it's based on their experiences because there's nothing that requires Social Security to give you a decision within a set time. Had to get that off my chest because I know a lot of representatives and we talk about this a lot of times. Will have clients jumping from representative representative because they think that maybe if they go to another representative, that representative will get their case through faster. The problem is that this is an administrative process. If you're at the lower office level,

1:49 it's probably going to take two to six months between each decision. If you're at the hearing office level, they can take anywhere from a year a little longer. If you're at the appeals council level, could be anywhere from a year to two years. Unfortunately, that is the beast we're dealing with. Why because at the local office, the local offices tend to make decisions based on a certain meaning they're only having a certain number of cases.

2:13 That are in their particular jurisdiction.

2:15 Once you move to the hearing office, the number of cases they receive is based on a larger.

2:20 Number in their jurisdiction. And then the appeals council handles appeals for the whole country.

2:24 So guess what as the number of people that particular office has to handle goes up, so does the wait time. On top of the fact that people are on a first come, first serve basis. And for those of you who are stressing out and wondering, oh my gosh, they don't understand I'm really in bad shape.

2:43 The one thing that's troubling about this whole.

2:46 Process is that everybody who is applying for Social Security disability is in a bad spot.

2:52 I got news for you.

2:53 Most people apply for disability benefits don't have deep pockets. They're not showing out on the riviera waiting for their benefit check to come in, and they are struggling just to keep the lights on. They're struggling to make sure that they keep gas in a car, if they even have a car. Most people that represent are usually living with family members or living on somebody's couch. Everybody's in a bath spot. Social Security knows that, so just keep in mind. And if it's been in an ordinate amount of time, just usually the magical number is that if it's been longer than a year and a half.

3:24 Usually at that point they'll move.

3:25 They'll movie a movie called age category or critical category because of how old it is, But I.

3:30 Just want you to be aware of this.

3:32 When somebody is when you're speaking to your representative and they and you swear they're blowing you off, when they're telling you that they don't know, or that you know, they're giving you a rough approximation, it's because they don't know, and it is a rough approximation. Again, my name is Attorney Anthony Reads. And keep those questions coming.

3:50 All ways, you would ask

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