Why does it take so long to get a hearing for disability? More reasons...

The number one question our social security attorneys receive from our clients and first time callers is: "Why does it take so long to get an answer about my Social Security disability claim?"  Unfortunately, the social security system system is faced with a backlog of hundreds of thousands of disputed disability claims.  In fact, the clog is so large, some people are forced to wait years for a hearing.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) claims a simple formula helps explain the backlog: too many cases, not enough staffing, and an increase in claims that involve hard-to-prove ailments, such as depression, anxiety and back pain.  Put these together and you have a massive traffic jam.

SSA recently received $500 million in governmental aid to address the problem, but it won't serves as a magical solution to a problem that has been years in the making.  In fact, it could take 4-5 more years before the claims backlog is cleared. 

The number of Americans that receive disability has more than doubled since 1990.  In fact, currently there are 7.4 million Americans receiving disability, while the number of professional staff used to process the claims has dropped by around 5%. 

Another factor to take into consideration for the backlog is the number of people who apply for disability that are able to work, and are simply looking for assistance that they don't require.  Obviously, this only increases the wait for people who are truly disabled.

Most applicants learn that they are unable to navigate the system on their own.  As many as 85% of applicants will hire a lawyer such as Keller & Keller LLP to help prepare their paperwork, gather medical records and ready them for a hearing.

The Social Security Administration is approaching the problem from multiple angles — experimenting with electronic records to speed up medical reviews, hiring more judges and other staff, and adding offices — but the efforts only go as far as the funding.