The are over 1.1 million residents that live in the state of West Virginia. Of those one-million plus residents, approximately 8.7 percent receive monthly disability benefits from the Social Security Administration. Every year, literally thousands West Virginia residents will apply for Social Security Disability benefits. The fact of the matter is that more than 70 percent of the disability claims filed by West Virginia Social Security Disability applicants are denied by the Social Security Administration. From there, these applicants must go on to appeal the decision made by the SSA in order to obtain the financial assistance they need.
The appeal process for Social Security Disability benefits is a lengthy and complicated one. The first step of appeals is called a Request for Reconsideration. In the State of West Virginia, fewer than 20 percent of these appeals are decided in the favor of the Social Security Disability applicant. The remaining 80 percent of West Virginia Social Security Disability applicants must go on to request a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge in order to obtain the disability benefits they may be rightfully entitled to.
While a little over half of West Virginia Social Security Disability applicants are awarded benefits as a result of a disability hearing, it takes most applicants more than a year before they even get a chance to stand before an ALJ. In the State of West Virginia, it can take anywhere from 223 to 452 days to be scheduled for a disability hearing.
The agency that is in charge of scheduling the disability hearings for Social Security Disability applicants is the Office of Disability Adjudication and Review, also known as ODAR. The area of West Virginia in which you live will determine which ODAR office will handle your disability case. The backlog of cases being handled by this office will determine how long you will have to wait before you are able to obtain a disability hearing. The ODAR offices that manage the hearings for West Virginia Social Security Disability applicants are as follows:
- Baltimore, Maryland
- Charleston, West Virginia
- Huntington, West Virginia
- Morgantown, West Virginia
- Roanoke, Virginia
The Baltimore ODAR office located in Maryland handles the disability hearings for the West Virginia Social Security field offices in Martinsburg and Petersburg. It takes this office an average of 452 days to schedule a disability hearing for a West Virginia Social Security Disability applicant.
The Charleston ODAR office handles the disability hearings for the Social Security field offices in Beckley, Charleston, Logan, St. Albans, Parkersburg, Williamson and Welch. It takes this office an average of 357 days to schedule a disability hearing for a West Virginia Social Security Disability applicant.
The Huntington ODAR office is responsible for scheduling the disability hearings for the Huntington area. It takes this office an average of 223 days to schedule a disability hearing.
The Morgantown ODAR office is responsible for the disability hearings for the Social Security field offices in Clarksburg, Elkins, Fairmont, Morgantown, Petersburg and Wheeling. It takes this office an average of 391 days to schedule a disability hearing.
The Roanoke ODAR office in the State of Virginia manages the disability hearings for the West Virginia Social Security field offices in Bluefield and Welch. It takes this office an average of 368 days to schedule a disability hearing.
Hiring an West Virginia Social Security Disability Attorney
Because the wait times for a disability hearing are so long and the disability appeal process is so tedious, many West Virginia Social Security Disability applicants wonder if there are ways to increase their chances of obtaining an approval at the initial stage of the disability claim process. For many applicants, the services of a qualified West Virginia Social Security Disability lawyer may help.
When you hire a West Virginia Social Security Disability lawyer to represent you in your disability claim, they will work with you to make sure that your application is prepared properly, increasing your chances of obtaining an approval of your initial disability application. Your lawyer will work with you to complete your disability application and will help you gather the medical evidence that will be needed to support your claim for disability benefits. If your initial application is still denied, your West Virginia Social Security Disability lawyer will be able to represent you during your Social Security Disability appeal.
While you are allowed to represent yourself during the disability appeal process, this is not always recommended. The appeal process can be complicated and a disability hearing can be an overwhelming experience for one who is not familiar with the laws and how the process works. Statistics show that applicants who obtain qualified legal counsel are more likely to be awarded benefits than applicants who choose to represent themselves.
Click here if you would like to learn more about hiring a West Virginia Social Security Disability attorney or to receive a free evaluation of your Social Security Disability case.
