There can be a lot of uncertainty for disabled Pennsylvania residents when they are considering filing for Social Security disability insurance benefits. The paperwork can be daunting, and the documentation that must be produced might seem like a barrier to many residents. And if applicants should be denied Social Security benefits, some folks might be inclined to give up on the process, even if they have a real need for the financial assistance that SSDI benefits can provide.
Of course, it isn’t the end of the line if this happens. Attorneys who specialize in appealing denials of benefits can be extremely valuable to Pennsylvania residents whose initial requests for benefits are turned down.
As it turns out, our neck of the woods might be the best place to have an appeal heard. A recent news report pointed to an administrative law judge in Harrisburg as having the most approvals of any other judge in the system. In fact, he has almost twice as many approvals as the judge with the second-most number.
It isn’t clear why the judge has so many approvals; back in 2008, when he was interviewed for an earlier story on the matter, he said it was due, at least in part, to his dedication to working nights and weekends to get through all of the cases on his docket.
Appealing a decision, of course, does not lead to an automatic approval. However, by going through the process, Pennsylvania residents can at least give themselves a fighting chance in the matter.
Source: The Pennsylvania Record, “Report: Harrisburg judge leads country in Social Security disability awards,” Jim Boyle, May 16, 2014