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HUNTSVILLE SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY

HERE ARE SOME INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY IN HUNTSVILLE.

  • About 30% of initial claims are approved, while the rest will go to the appeal process (hearing).
  • Appeals are handled by two hearing offices:
    • Florence, AL (the majority of cases)
    • Franklin, TN (a small percentage of cases)
  • Actual hearings may be held in Florence, Huntsville, Decatur or Cullman.  You never have to travel to Franklin.  Hearings are held near your hometown. 
  •  It takes longer to get a hearing if you live in Huntsville or Madison County.
  • There are 7 judges at the Florence hearing office.
  •  Each judge will decide 1.9 cases per day on average.
  • There is a backlog of over 5,000 cases at the Florence hearing office (thus, the long wait).
  •  Average wait time for a hearing is 17 months but it may take longer if you live in Madison County or Huntsville.
  • 20 percent of appeals filed will be dismissed on technical grounds (claimant filed late, failed to appear, died prior to the hearing, etc.).*
  • 42 percent of hearings result in approval.*
  • 38 percent of hearings result in denial of benefits.*
*(Based on statistics at the hearing office).

Contact the Forsythe Firm - Disability Advocates 
 

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