Is the Wait for SSD Benefits Finally Over in Ohio?

Ohio residents who apply for SSD benefits wait an average of 549 days for a benefits decision if they apply at the Cleveland office and 632 days if they apply at the Columbus office, according to a recent report in The Plain Dealer. But two new SSD hearings offices are opening in Ohio; officials hope that a new office in Akron and a new office in Toledo will help to plow through the backlog of applications for SSD benefits. The Plain Dealer also quotes Social Security Commissioner Michael Astrue as stating that the goal is to bring average SSD hearing decision wait times down to about 270 days or nine months.

Ohio residents face some of the longest SSD decision wait times in the country as Ohio is in the top ten states with highest wait times according to data from the Social Security Administration. In April 2010, the SSA reported that the average applicant waited 442 days for a hearing decision.

The Akron and Toledo SSD offices will begin hearing claims by September, and should be fully operational this fall, according to Social Security Disability lawyer Debra Shifrin at Shifrin Newman Smith. The law firm also has offices located in Akron and Cleveland. Shifrin notes that Social Security Disability applicants and representatives have been hoping for such a move by the Social Security Administration to bring down wait times.

If you need to file a Social Security Disability claim, contact an experienced SSD claims attorney in Ohio -- an experienced SSD representative can help explain the SSD benefits process to you and guide you through applying for benefits.

Related Source:

Two new disability hearing offices to open in Ohio this month to address the state's backlog