What are my chances at the Appeals Council

0:13 Good day.

0:13 My name is Toorney Anthony Reeves, and welcome to another edition of Q and A Social Security Disability Today. Next question of what are my chances at the Appeals Council. I know you're not gonna want to hear this, but the bottom line is no one really knows.

0:27 Let me tell you why.

0:29 When you go before an administrative law judge who has a hearing on your case, that judge will typically make one of three decisions unfavorable, partially favorable, or fully favorable.

0:38 If you find yourself appealing.

0:40 The decision, whether it be because you don't agree with the fully favorable or you've got an unfavorable decision or partially favorable that you don't agree with, your case is transferred to the Appeals Council if you're appealing that decision. At that point there is no more hearing, meaning you're not gonna go before it an appeals Council's judge.

0:58 The judge is at that court is trying to make a determination to the judge that you went before.

1:03 Did that judge make an error with regards to the error of law?

1:07 Now here's where it gets funk.

1:09 Here, there's only one Appeals Council listen carefully when I say this.

1:15 There is only one appeals council.

1:18 That means the Appeals Council, which is located in Fallsters, Virginia. It has a bunch of different branches, but they handle all appeals from all the hearing offices for the entire country. Doesnt matter if the hearing was in Puerto Rico, Alaska, Hawaii, or Maine. If it's one of those hearing office locations and you appeal the decision, it goes to the Appeals Council.

1:39 That's the one thing, second of all, because it's there the lens of time you're looking at. We tell people historically between twelve to twenty four months. Yes, I said it twelve to twenty four months. So when you appeal it to the Appeals Council, don't sit here and say find yourself one and constantly know the status.

1:55 Brace yourself for a year or longer, all right.

1:59 Also, there's no way to know who the judge is going to because they don't tell you. At best, you can find out with branch, but even then the branch has different judges there, so there's no way to know who is assigned to your case. What I typically tell people. Is that if you disagree with the determination made by the judge appeal it protect your rights.

2:16 Unfortunately, you don't know what the likelihood of success is, but at least you've protected your interests.

2:23 Again, this is Attorney Anthony Reeves and as always, if you have a disability Q and A get it right here.