Tucson Social Security Disability Blog

Approval Rates At All Time Lows

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I just returned from the National Organization of Social Security Claimants Representatives (NOSSCR) fall seminar in Las Vegas. One of the presenters at the conference passed along the following: Approval rates at hearing in 2007 was 62% and in 2013 it is 48%. From what I heard, this marks an all-time low for approval ratings in those cases heard by a a judge. Keep in mind, the approval ratings for decisions that have not yet reached the judge (initial application, request for reconsideration) are even lower.  If you combine all the numbers from initial application through hearing level, I suspect the overall approval rate is below 40%.  There are competing theories as to why these numbers are so low.  It certainly appears that Social Security is taking affirmative steps to lower the approval rates.  With numbers like these, I think it is more important than ever to make sure you are represented when you apply for disability benefits. The days of applying on your own and expecting a good result seem to have slipped into the past. 

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If Social Security has scheduled your disability case to be heard by one of their judges, call me immediately. Unlike many large law firms, I can move quickly to get your case ready to be won.

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About The Author

Since 1992, I have been helping the people of Southern Arizona get the benefits they are due. Before devoting all my efforts to assisting people with Social Security disability claims, I also handled such complex lawsuits as medical malpractice and products liability. I brought to my Social Security cases all the skills and attention to detail that I developed in the courtroom. I approach each Social Security disability case as if it were a million-dollar lawsuit. For the people trying to get Social Security benefits, their claim is every bit as important. Because I have personally handled so many Social Security cases, I have refined the skills I need to win your case for you. I have helped people win cases for every kind of ailment from arthritis to valley fever. At present, I am focused on helping those persons with neurological and orthopedic disorders. Because claims for people over age fifty bring additional complications, I particularly seek out those cases to work on. I regularly write about back and spine conditions on my blog. I actively seek out the latest information about orthopedic and neurological disorders to ensure I can represent my clients as effectively as possible. Because of my current focus, I regret that I am not able to take any cases for mental disorders. If you are over age fifty and suffer from any orthopedic or neurological disorder, please contact me at once.