If you or a loved one can no longer work due to a disability, an Athens (Clarke County) attorney can help you apply for the Social Security Disability benefits you need to ensure your financial stability. With the assistance of an attorney or advocate, you can simplify the application process and reduce any stress or pressure you may be experiencing.
To begin your Social Security Disability application process, you can fill out the necessary paperwork online or in person at a local Social Security office. See below for a list of offices in the Athens area:
9180 Covington Bypass
Covington, GA 30014
Telephone: 1-800-772-1213
355 E Hancock Ave
Robert G. Stephens Fed
Athens, GA 30601
Telephone: 1-866-964-3294
2853 Candler Road Suite 8
Decatur, GA 30034,
Telephone: 1-800-772-1213
Athens Social Security Disability claims are often processed in the Covington hearing office. Currently, the Covington hearing office has a wait time of 345 days and a total of 4,925 pending cases. While these numbers indicate a long wait for a decision on your disability claim, many Clarke County residents find that disability payments are well worth the wait. In fact, in December 2011, 2,710 Clarke County residents received SSDI benefits and 2,963 Clarke County residents received SSI benefits.
Any questions you have about the SSI and SSDI programs are answered here.
Consulting with a Athens Social Security Disability Attorney
If you are feeling confused or overwhelmed by the Social Security Disability application, it is in your best interest to consult with an Athens attorney. He or she will answer any questions you may have and increase your chances of approval.
If you are interested in learning more about the benefits of consulting with an Athens attorney, click here.
An Athens Social Security Disability lawyer will also handle disability claims in the following cities located in Athens-Clarke County, Oconee County, Ogglethorpe County, Barrow County, Madison County, and Jackson County: Watkinsville, Statham, Bogart, Crawford, Lexington, Winder, Lawrenceville, Brasselton, Commerce, Jackson, Johns Creek, Alpharetta, Elberton, Washington, Atlanta, Monroe, Decatur, Oxford, and Gainesville.
Contact the Newton County Bar Association for more information regarding the lawyers in your area:
Newton County Bar Association
P.O. Box 187,
Covington, Georgia 30015
Athens Disability Hearings
An applicant’s claim may be denied during the initial and reconsideration stages of the Social Security Disability application process. If you find yourself in this situation, you will be required to request an appeal hearing to be held at the Covington Office of Disability Adjudication and Review (ODAR).
Below we have listed the approval rates of the administrative law judges (ALJs) who hear cases in the Athens Hearing Office. This information may proves useful to an experienced attorney—especially if he or she is familiar with the administrative law judge hearing your appeal.
| ALJ | Approval Rate |
| Amos, B.T. | 44.64% |
| Bivins, Renita K. | 0.46% |
| Davis, L. E. | 66.54% |
| Donaldson, Angela | 44.69% |
| Glover, Kristen | 26.63% |
| Hart, Melinda K. | 58.96% |
| Jordan III, Wylly | 45.21% |
| McAdam, Paul | 46.11% |
| McDonald, Dana E. | 46.11% |
| Washington, Calvin | 0.23% |
*Data from http://www.ssa.gov/appeals/DataSets/03_ALJ_Disposition_Data.html
As you may have experienced during the initial application stage, scheduling an appeal hearing may a take a long time. If you find that you cannot wait until your scheduled hearing date—due to financial or health related emergencies—you can request a congressional inquiry. A congressional inquiry involves calling your local congressman to ask that he or she intervene with the ODAR on your behalf. Your congressperson has the power to expedite your appeal hearing to a sooner date.
Athens Office
3706 Atlanta Hwy, Ste 2
Athens, GA 30606
Phone: 706-549-9588
Fax: 706-549-9590
Complete the following form to receive a free legal evaluation with an Athens Social Security Disability attorney or advocate:
