The website www.disabilityjudges.com publishes information about both average hearing wait times and approval rates on Social Security disability cases. As disability attorneys, it’s our job to stay abreast this information because it relates to you. This information is broken down by specific hearing locations and by specific Administrative Law Judges all across the United States.

According to the website, nationally, the average wait time for a hearing is 14.3 months from the time it is requested. The average processing time of a case, including the time it takes to receive a written decision following the hearing, is 452 days. Approximately 43% of cases are approved at the hearing level, while 44% are denied and 13% are dismissed for technical reasons. (Your hearing should never be dismissed for technical reasons if you are represented by an experienced disability attorney.) Below is information about hearing offices in the four-state region of Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma. The hearing offices are referred to as an ODAR – short for Office of Disability Adjudication and Review.

Arkansas

The Fort Smith, Arkansas ODAR has 6 active Administrative Law Judges. The average wait time for a hearing from the time it is requested is 8 months. The total processing time for an average case, including the time it takes to receive a written decision following the hearing, is 357 days. Approximately 47% of cases heard are approved, while 40% are denied and 13% are dismissed for technical reasons.

The Little Rock, Arkansas ODAR has 14 active Administrative Law Judges. The average wait time for a hearing from the time it is requested is 13 months. The total processing time for an average case, including the time it takes to receive a written decision following the hearing, is 411 days. Approximately 41% of cases heard are approved, while 46% are denied and 14% are dismissed for technical reasons.

Kansas

The Topeka, Kansas ODAR has 6 active Administrative Law Judges. The average wait time for a hearing from the time it is requested is 13 months. The total processing time for an average case, including the time it takes to receive a written decision following the hearing, is 432 days. Approximately 31% of cases heard are approved, while 45% are denied and 24% are dismissed for technical reasons.

The Wichita, Kansas ODAR has 9 active Administrative Law Judges. The average wait time for a hearing from the time it is requested is 11.5 months. The total processing time for an average case, including the time it takes to receive a written decision following the hearing, is 418 days. Approximately 35% of the cases heard are approved, while 43% are denied and 22% are dismissed for technical reasons.

Missouri

The Kansas City, Missouri ODAR has 16 active Administrative Law Judges. The average wait time for a hearing from the time it is requested is 14 months. The total processing time for an average case, including the time it takes to receive a written decision following the hearing, is 465 days. Approximately 38% of the cases heard are approved, while 42% are denied and 20% are dismissed for technical reasons.

The Springfield, Missouri ODAR has 9 active Administrative Law Judges. The average wait time for a hearing from the time it is requested is 12 months. The total processing time for an average case, including the time it takes to receive a written decision following the hearing, is 420 days. Approximately 31% of the cases heard are approved, while 50% are denied and 19% are dismissed for technical reasons.

Information is not shown here for Missouri ODAR locations in Columbia, Creve Coeur and St. Louis.

Oklahoma

The McAlester, Oklahoma ODAR has 6 active Administrative Law Judges. The average wait time for hearing from the time it is requested is 17 months. The total processing time for an average case, including the time it takes to receive a written decision following the hearing, is 445 days. Approximately 35% of cases heard are approved, while 51% are denied and 14% are dismissed for technical reasons.

The Oklahoma City, Oklahoma ODAR has 12 active Administrative Law Judges. The average wait time for a hearing from the time it is requested is 13 months. The total processing time for an average case, including the time it takes to receive a written decision following the hearing, is 490 days. Approximately 42% of the cases heard are approved, while 39% are denied and 19% are dismissed for technical reasons.

The Tulsa, Oklahoma ODAR has 12 active Administrative Law Judges. The average wait time for a hearing from the time it is requested is 12 months. The total processing time for an average case, including the time it takes to receive a written decision following the hearing, is 381 days. Approximately 46% of the cases heard are approved, while 37% are denied and 17% are dismissed for technical reasons.

According to the website, the information above is obtained from official sources in the Social Security Administration and was updated as recently as July 2015. RGG Law has not made independent confirmation of these statistics.

Improve Your Chances With a Disability Attorney

With an experienced disability attorney by your side, you should never have your case dismissed for technical reasons. The disability lawyers at RGG Law have extensive experience filing Social Security claims.

The approval rates include all cases, regardless of whether or not the claimant was represented by an attorney. Generally, having the help of a disability attorney is an advantage in winning a disability case.