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Social Security Disability Backlog Decreases: Make Sure you Get Approved for Social Security Disability Benefits

Recently the Social Security Administration announced that their Social Security Disability backlog is down for the first time in a decade.  Michael J. Astrue, the Commissioner of Social Security, made the announcement about the decrease in the backlog and attributed the decrease to the new systems that have been put in place, funding from the Obama administration and increase in cases Administrative Law Judges (ALJ) hear a year.   While a decrease in backlog is great not only for the Social Security Administration and for disabled persons applying for disability benefits it does not necessarily mean that the cases are being decided properly. 

According to the Social Security Administration their Administrative Law Judges heard on average 570 cases in 2009 per each judge.  This is a high volume of cases and sometimes cases may not be properly decided on especially if you do not have a social security disability lawyer representing you at the hearing.  In fact even the Social Security Administration admits that the amount of Administrative Law Judges they had working on disability cases were enough this year.  They announced that they are planning on hiring 226 additional Administrative Law Judges plus support for the FY 2010.  The Social Security Administration hopes to be able to reduce the unfair wait time for disabled applicants and increase the number of cases heard a year in 2010 to attempt to continue decreasing the Social Security Disability backlog. 

The disability backlog has been a major topic amongst the media and those waiting for disability benefit approval recently.  Currently on average it takes over a year to have your disability application approved or disapproved (to get started with your Social Security Disability application click here).  Then if you are denied disability benefits you have to submit for an appeal and wait for a hearing.  It is important that after of that time of waiting for approval so you can receive a disability check for your inability to work you get approved when it comes time for your hearing.  If you are appealing a decision by the Social Security Administration in New York you will want to make sure you have a New York Social Security Disability lawyer to represent you during the hearing.  To not do so may risk the strength of your case and could possibly result in you being denied benefits once again.  To appeal your Social Security Disability application denial click here.