How long does it take the Social Security Administration to hold a hearing, issue a decision, and pay benefits?
Your Bakersfield Social Security disability lawyer will tell you that there is much variation on the amount of time that elapses between a hearing request and the rendering of a decision. The average nationally is 15.5 months; however, some states take more time and others less.
Once the hearing is completed, and unless a bench decision is given by the judge at the hearing itself, two or three months on average will pass before a decision is issued.
If the judge awards you benefits, it will usually take one or two months before you begin to receive any money. Back benefits may take anywhere from one to six months from the decision date to begin being paid. If SSI is involved, it may take even longer.
Therefore, you will need to be patient as the process unfolds. Your Bakersfield Social Security disability lawyer has little opportunity to speed up the process; his or her best efforts will be directed at preventing the process from taking even longer.
How does the disability hearing notification arrive?
Your lawyer should notify you first. The administrative law judge’s assistant will be working with your lawyer to obtain a date and once that is complete your lawyer will notify you by mail. You will then receive from the judge a Notice of Hearing.
What if I receive the Notice of Hearing first?
There may have been a failure to contact your lawyer to arrange the date of the hearing. You should therefore contact your lawyer immediately to inform him or her of the Notice of Hearing.
Contact
If you have concerns or questions about your Social Security disability case and would like to speak with an experienced and knowledgeable Bakersfield Social Security disability lawyer, please contact us.
