LONGER WAITS FOR SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY BENEFITS IN 2015

The average wait time to get a Social Security disability hearing varies from city to city in 2017.  One of the shortest wait times is in Fort Smith, Arkansas where the wait time is only 7 months.  However, in Pittsburg the wait time is 20 months.  Closer to home, the average wait time to get a hearing in Florence, AL is 12.5 months (although I believe that number is overly optimistic; it usually takes longer).  In Mobile, you wait 16 months and in Birmingham you wait 18 months.

So, the waiting times are not getting any shorter.  I don't think anyone at Social Security has a plan to solve this problem any time soon.

I am often asked, "Are there any exceptions to these long wait times?"  

Yes, there are a few.  A veteran with a 100% permanent VA disability rating can be expedited and get a hearing sooner.  A person who qualifies for a compassionate allowance because of a catastrophic illness can be processed more quickly.  And a claimant with a "dire need" can possibly get expedited scheduling.  However, Social Security's rules for "dire need" are very, very strict.  Most Social Security claimants are in dire financial shape and usually they do not qualify for dire need exceptions.

Unfortunately, speeding up the government process is not something an attorney or disability advocate can do.  There are more than 1 million claims waiting for hearing in the United States.  There are only about 1,200 administrative law judges, who each make about 1.7 decisions per day.  We can't get more judges, we can't increase Social Security's budget and we can't reduce the number of appeals.  So, we are all stuck--waiting on a slow government agency to deal with this crisis the best it can.