In 1994, the Social Security Administration (SSA) had approximately 70,000 employees compared to its current staffing levels of 62,000. In the fiscal year 2014, SSA officials processed 2.86 million applications for disability benefits. This is fewer than anyone, RGG Law and the SSA included, expected and may be due to a strengthening economy. However, the number of people denied on an application and currently waiting for a hearing is rapidly approaching 1 million. Even with an RGG Law disability attorney by your side, the wait time for a hearing is approaching 15 months. Technology has aided the application process with over half the applicants filing online in 2014. The SSA conducted 526,000 continuing disability reviews of people currently receiving benefits.

RGG Law’s Take on the Backlog

“Despite a lower than expected number of disability applications, less staff has resulted in a backlog of disability claims and wait time for a disability hearing increasing,” according to Jon Gold, a disability attorney at RGG Law. Social Security Disability is a complicated process and RGG Law can help you navigate through the process.