I have seen some attorney advertisements that claim they can speed up the Social Security Disability procedure to get you a hearing faster than the 18 to 20 months it now takes in Illinois.
Is this true?
Unfortunately not.
There is really not much a lawyer can do to speed up the Social Security review process.
There are certain types of case such as Veteran’s disability claims who have been rated at 100 percent disability that have priority.
If you have been evicted or have a foreclosure notice, then Social Security may push your case forward.
Contacting a Congressional office may help speed things up somewhat, but there are no guarantees.
A lawyer can contact the Adjudicator at the State Agency and keep them informed of recent medical treatment and doctor’s opinions. This is helpful because it may persuade Social Security that your condition has worsened. It is also important in cases that involve cancer because it provides the latest information about how your disease is progressing.
The problem is that there are not enough Social Security workers and a large number of disability filings.
This creates a large line of cases waiting for hearings. There are only a limited number of judges and they cannot hear more than 6 cases a day.
The most important thing is to continue to see your doctors and explain the problems and limitations you have. The Judge will examine your medical records closely and you must make sure they support your testimony of problems regarding lifting, walking, standing and sitting.
Questions about your Social Security Disability case? Feel free to contact Illinois Social Security Disability Attorney Dirk May with Williams and Swee at 309-827-4371.