The Appeals Process: We Can Take It Further For You

As discussed in our SSI and SSDI timeframe, there are many stages to the Social Security Disability process that can take quite a considerable amount of time. Typically, most people are denied after their initial application and after a reconsideration appeal. At the hearing level, and often with the assistance of an attorney, an approval may be more certain. Nonetheless, there are still many individuals who will need to appeal a hearing denial in an attempt to secure another hearing to prove their medical disability.

What Happens When You Are Denied

After a hearing denial, most cases will be appealed to the Appeals Council, which is a division of review within the Social Security Administration. If the Appeals Council determines the Judge made an error, your case will be returned to that Judge for another hearing. The Appeals Council may also send the case back for re-hearing upon the receipt of new evidence. However, submitting evidence to the Appeals Council requires following very specific rules, and new evidence usually is denied review. Thus, the Appeals Council will generally affirm the Judge’s decision.

The next step in appealing a disability case is to file a complaint with the United States District Court. The individual seeking redress becomes the “plaintiff.” Plaintiffs are allowed to represent themselves; however, there are very specific rules and even more specific case law that must be applied. Whether your case can be won at federal court is dependent on the evidence in your case, how it was developed, and other factors that vary from case to case. Consequently, a plaintiff must seek experienced legal help when appealing at this level.

If the Court grants your case, it will be returned to a Judge for another hearing. Should your case be denied at this level, the next step would be an appeal to the Circuit Court for your state. Whether your case can be successfully appealed at this level heavily depends on how it was developed, the evidence in your case, how your representative did at the hearing, and how well it was argued at the District Court level, among other factors.

What The Timeline Can Look Like For You

Denied, or not sure your condition qualifies? Our team has spent over three decades handling SSDI appeals.

Frequently Asked Questions

What happens when you are denied after a Social Security Disability hearing?

After a hearing denial, most cases will be appealed to the Appeals Council, which is a division of review within the Social Security Administration. If the Appeals Council determines the Judge made an error, your case will be returned to that Judge for another hearing. The Appeals Council may also send the case back for re-hearing upon the receipt of new evidence. However, submitting evidence to the Appeals Council requires following very specific rules, and new evidence usually is denied review. Thus, the Appeals Council will generally affirm the Judge’s decision.

What is the next step if the Appeals Council affirms the Judge’s decision?

The next step in appealing a disability case is to file a complaint with the United States District Court. The individual seeking redress becomes the “plaintiff.” Plaintiffs are allowed to represent themselves; however, there are very specific rules and even more specific case law that must be applied. Whether your case can be won at federal court is dependent on the evidence in your case, how it was developed, and other factors that vary from case to case. Consequently, a plaintiff must seek experienced legal help when appealing at this level.

What happens if the federal court grants or denies your case?

If the Court grants your case, it will be returned to a Judge for another hearing. Should your case be denied at this level, the next step would be an appeal to the Circuit Court for your state. Whether your case can be successfully appealed at this level heavily depends on how it was developed, the evidence in your case, how your representative did at the hearing, and how well it was argued at the District Court level, among other factors.

What does the Social Security Disability appeals timeline usually look like?

The appeals process moves through several stages. The initial application takes 7 to 8 months. If denied, the reconsideration appeal takes 5 to 7 months, though the success rate is low. If denied again, a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge may take 8 to 15 months. If denied at that stage, the Appeals Council review can take 6 months to 1 year. Finally, if the Appeals Council denies the claim, a federal court appeal can take 1 to 3 years. Each stage has different levels of success and specific requirements.

Can Michael Armstrong Law handle appeals at the Circuit Court level?

Yes. The Circuit Court for the District of New Mexico is the Tenth Circuit in Denver, Colorado. There are few offices that will appeal cases to the Tenth Circuit, and often your case will not be appealed to this level if there is a deficiency in any area mentioned above. For this reason, it is important to have a representative that will properly develop your file in the event that your claim needs to be appealed at this level. The Law Office of Michael Armstrong Law has the experience necessary to appeal at the Tenth Circuit in Denver, Colorado.

We Can Appeal At Higher Levels

The Circuit Court for the District of New Mexico is the Tenth Circuit in Denver, Colorado. There are few offices that will appeal cases to the Tenth Circuit, and often your case will not be appealed to this level if there is a deficiency in any area mentioned above. For this reason, it is important to have a representative that will properly develop your file in the event that your claim needs to be appealed at this level. The Law Office of Michael Armstrong Law has the experience necessary to appeal at the Tenth Circuit in Denver, Colorado.