Social Security Disability News
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
In the "Good News" category: Here is a copy of what our local hearing offices are sending out—for years, the letter used to warn claimants that their hearing would likely be scheduled 18-24 months from the time they requested one, but Social Security now says you can expect to wait only 9-12 months for your hearing. A delay still hard for claimants to bear, but a step in the right direction!
In the “Just News” category: One: Claimants and their attorneys will no longer be told the identity of the judge who will be holding their hearing.
That will be revealed only as they enter the hearing room. Two: Claimants whose hearings do not go well must generally now choose between appealing the judge’s decision to the Appeals Council or filing a new application. We used to be allowed to do both. Three: Claimants whose hearings do go well must still withstand the renewed interest of the Division of Quality’s review at the Appeals Council level.
- Posted by Attorney Mary McKee
