How long does it take get a decision after a Disability Hearing ?

Unfortunately, there is no way to know how long an administrative law judge will take to make a decision on a claim following a disability hearing.

This, of course, can be extremely frustrating to claimants and can be the source of significant anxiety, not to mention the source of added financial stress for individuals who have already spent many months trying to get through the disability system to get a claim approved.

In brief, a claimant should not ordinarily expect to receive a decision following a hearing for at least several weeks. And here's a tip for claimants who have been to a hearing and have been advised by the judge that their claim would be approved: it's not official until you receive the notice of approval. Many disability claimants experience complete bewilderment when a judge informs them, at their hearing, that their claim will be approved...yet the official decision notice still takes weeks or months to arrive.

What can you do if your hearing was held weeks or months ago and you still have not received a decision? Either contact the hearing office yourself, or, if you are represented, have your lawyer do this for you. In most cases, the only response from the hearing office will be that "no decision has been made". However, in a few instances, news may come to light regarding medical information that is still outstanding (i.e. that the judge is still waiting on).


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Other Posts:
Can you afford a lawyer for a social security disability claim?
Social Security Disability and the two year waiting period for Medicare Benefits
Apply for disability
Disability denied
Disability Mental - Disability

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