If you’ve just had your disability hearing, you may feel anxious to know the results. After all, this decision will make a significant impact on your life. Regardless of whether you decided to represent yourself—or hire a Social Security lawyer in Oakland—you will need to wait for a written decision. Here’s what to expect.
Your Decision May Be Given Immediately
Occasionally, the Administrative Law Judge overseeing your case will verbally provide a favorable decision. Very few decisions are rendered in this fashion, but your odds of a fast acceptance are improved with the assistance of a Social Security lawyer in Oakland. This is because a representative of yours can file a pre-hearing memo. After a judge provides a favorable decision this way, you will still need to wait for your written confirmation before benefits are dispersed.
You May Wait 60 Days for Your Decision
In general, individuals wait no more than 60 days for a written decision following their Social Security Disability hearing. After you have had your hearing, the claim will remain with your local Office of Disability Adjudication and Review. The claim will stay put until the Administrative Law Judge has made a decision. As is the case with many processes, you may receive your decision earlier or later, depending on the workload of the office and Judge.
Unfortunately, there is no firm deadline for this process. In some cases an applicant may wait six months or more for their decision. Hiring a Social Security lawyer in Oakland will give you better access to the electronic records associated with your case. Your representative will be able to tell you the status of your case, be it pending decision writing, in review, and so on.
Missing Information Causes Delays
Sometimes, when there are outstanding pieces of information missing from your case, such as medical records or a consultative examination, your decision will be delayed. A decision cannot be rendered before all information has been submitted. A Social Security lawyer in Oakland will be able to help ensure that all pieces of information are in by the time of your hearing.
