Social Security Disability Hearing

The process of getting the social security benefits is cumbersome and many things are taken into account once you file an application claiming benefits. The social security disability hearing is done in the Office of Hearings and Appeals. This is also called the OHA, where a judge gives the clearance for the benefits. The adjudication of OHA is totally different from the Social Security Administration. Almost every disability claimant will need to have their applications heard by a judge before the disability benefits are approved to him. After evaluation in the Social Security Administration by the officials the case will be transferred to the OHA.

The hearing now may take longer than expected, since to get a date for hearing takes more than six months. After the case is transferred from the SSA, a claimant typically knows nothing about the file. He or she only receives an acknowledgment letter from the Office clearing that his or her case has been registered for a due date of hearing.

Once referred to the OHA, the appealing process usually slows down and this makes it difficult to proceed faster in a particular case. But sometimes, they take special consideration to some cases which are in great need of money for sustenance. For this a document called the 'Dire Need Letter', needs to be filed where it will be mentioned about a living condition that is impossible to sustain. The other way to expedite the hearing is a process is requesting the senator or the congressmen. This is called a congressional inquiry where the congressman will either call the OHA or write to them asking for a special consideration.