Keep in mind that every region has different time lines for processing Social Security Disability claims.
My main experience is with Central Illinois.
However, other areas in Illinois seem to be taking around the same amount of time.
Social Security prefers you file your application online. This gets you into the system right away.
Medical records are ordered and sent to Springfield, Illinois for review and an initial decision.
This takes approximately 3 months.
If you are denied, more medical records are ordered and you are sent to see Social Security Doctors.
Another unit in Springfield, Illinois reviews your file again and this takes another 3 months.
If you are denied again, then you need to request a hearing.
Your disability file is sent to the region’s hearing office to schedule a hearing.
This takes approximately 9 months to schedule your hearing before an Administrative Law Judge.
You can see that from time of filing until hearing you may have to wait over 15 months.
There are usually 5,000 to 6,000 people waiting for a hearing at a time.
Not a very good system.
Yet it is faster than it has been in the past.
Sometimes Social Security will move a hearing up if you can show hardship such as eviction, foreclosure, or other dire circumstances.
Nothing is guaranteed of course.
Questions about your Social Security Disability case? Feel free to contact Illinois Social Security Disability attorney Dirk May at 309-827-4371.