Disability benefits are an important type of financial assistance that can help you manage your bills if medical conditions make it impossible to work. Waiting for approval can be worrisome, but understanding what to expect can help you manage your stress levels. Getting benefits in Georgia often takes more than two years. We’ll explain the Social Security Disability timeline and what usually happens during this waiting period.

Understanding the Social Security Disability Application Process

The process of applying for disability benefits, called Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), begins with applying with the Social Security Administration (SSA). While the SSDI process can end there with approval, more than 60% of applications get denied. If applicants think this denial is unjust, they may ask the SSA to reconsider.

If that’s unsuccessful, they can request an administrative law judge (ALJ) hearing. ALJs resolve most cases, but some continue in the appeals council and even the federal court. Going through all these stages can be time-consuming, especially as processing times have increased. Understanding the process and common outcomes can help you manage your expectations.

Initial Application Stage: What to Expect

You can file your disability benefits application online or by calling the SSA hotline at 1-800-772-1213 to schedule an appointment. Gather the following documents to streamline your application:

• Proof of your birth, such as a birth certificate
• Proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful alien status
• U.S. military discharge papers, if you served before 1968
• W-2 forms or self-employment tax returns for the last year
• An Adult Disability Report
• Medical evidence of your condition, such as medical records and doctor’s reports
• Proof of workers’ compensation benefits, such as award letters and pay stubs

At the time of writing, processing the average disability benefits claim in the United States takes 232 days. Claims can take longer in Georgia as the Disability Adjudication Services (DAS) makes the medical determination. It can take between 8 and 12 months for cases to get assigned to adjudicators. Various additional factors can impact your processing time, including:

• Whether your application is accurate and complete
• Your medical condition
• How quickly the SSA can access your medical information
• Whether you need a medical examination
• Whether your application gets randomly reviewed for quality

After DAS makes its ruling, you’ll learn whether it’s approved your application. Georgia has an initial approval rate of 34.9%, which is lower than the national average of 39.5%.

Reconsideration: The First Level of Appeal

If your application gets denied, you can ask the SSA to reconsider. A different medical consultant and claims examiner will review your application. You can strengthen your application by submitting new supporting documents, like medical records and statements from healthcare providers explaining the impact of your condition. The national average wait for reconsideration is seven months. Waiting this extra time can be frustrating, but it’s an essential part of the process.

After reconsideration, 18.6% of disability claims in Georgia get approved. This is higher than the national average of 15.1%. While that relatively low approval rate can be disheartening, going through this process allows you to take your case to an ALJ hearing if required.

Administrative Law Judge Hearing: The Next Step

If the SSA won’t budge, you can take your case to an ALJ hearing. If your reconsideration gets denied, it takes an average of 8.1 months to get a hearing in Georgia, which is slightly less than the national average of between 9.3 months and 15 months. A backlog of cases or low availability of judges can cause delays.

Be patient, because this stage often has a higher approval rating than dealing with the SSA. In 2024, 54% of ALJ hearings led to approvals in Georgia, which is only slightly less than the national average of 57.7%. Obtaining experienced legal representation, arriving at the hearing punctually and well-dressed, and preparing thoroughly, including collecting updated medical evidence and expert testimony where possible, can increase your chances of success.

Factors That Can Affect Processing Times

The government slashed the SSA’s administrative budget by 19% since 2010, accounting for inflation, but it’s now serving 25% more people. A smaller budget means fewer people to manage that growing disabled population, leading to a backlog of cases. Between 2019 and 2022, Georgia saw a 98% increase in disability application backlog.

Disability Determination Services (DDS) is also rapidly losing employees. The rate of employee departures reached 25% in 2022, and many of the people who left were the most experienced, efficient staff. So it’s only natural that applicants will wait longer for a resolution. Investigating complex medical conditions and waiting for extra medical exams also takes time.

Many of these factors are outside your control. However, submitting a complete and well-documented application is one thing you can do to reduce delays. When processors have enough information to assess your case, they don’t need to spend time chasing extra information.

How to Navigate the Waiting Period

The waiting period for obtaining disability benefits may be largely beyond your control, but that doesn’t make navigating this period any easier. Some strategies that can help you make the most of this period include:

• Keeping detailed records of all your medical treatments and appointments to present during the next phase of the process
• Staying in touch with the SSA and promptly responding to its requests for more information
• Exploring other help available to you, such as state assistance
• Considering legal representation for guidance

Waiting for disability benefits can be frustrating, but it’s important to be patient and persistent in pursuing your claim for the best result.

Get Expert Help with Your Disability Claim

Accessing disability benefits can be a long and complex process, so it pays to get legal representation. An experienced lawyer can help you navigate the system to potentially reduce your worries and delays. Applicants with legal representation are also three times as likely to secure the benefits they need. The team at Augusta Disability has extensive experience navigating Georgia’s disability benefits system, and we’d love to help you. Contact us online to organize your free, no-obligation consultation with one of our experienced attorneys.