Residents of Atlanta (Fulton County) have access to many experienced Social Security Disability lawyers, who are available to help applicants file for disability benefits. If you are no longer able to work due to a disability or illness, an attorney can guide you through the disability application process to avoid mistakes and long wait times.
There are two disability hearing offices in Atlanta—The Atlanta Downtown Hearing Office and the Atlanta North Hearing Office. Atlanta Downtown currently has 11,880 pending cases and a total wait time of 449 days. Atlanta North has 6,734 cases and a similar wait time of 382 days. Although waiting over a year for benefits can seem daunting, recipients often find disability payments to be worth waiting for.
In December 2011, Fulton County was home to 18,045 SSDI beneficiaries and 23,917 SSI beneficiaries.
If you would like more information about the specific disability programs, visit this page.
If you are ready to begin the application process, you can do so in one of two ways: The first option is to fill out an application online at the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) website. The second choice is to make an appointment with your local SSA office and fill out an application in person.
Consulting with a Atlanta Social Security Disability Attorney
If you find the application process to be stressful or overwhelming, it may be in your best interest to speak with an Atlanta attorney or advocate. An attorney can keep you organized and on top of all the necessary paperwork and documentation. He or she can walk you through the process step by step to relieve some of the pressure you may be feeling.
A disability advocate or attorney can fight for you to make sure you can get the benefits that you deserve.To learn about the various benefits of consulting with an attorney, click here.
An Atlanta Social Security Disability lawyer will also handle disability claims in the following cities located in Fulton County, Dekalb County, Clayton County, Fayette County, Coweta County, Carroll County, Douglas County, Cobb County, and Cherokee County: Decatur, Redan, Marietta, Alpharetta, Panthersville, Forest Park, Forest Park, Douglasville, Villa Rica, Smyrna, Kennesaw, John's Creek, Lawrenceville, Snellville, Sandy Springs, and Tucker.
Atlanta Disability Hearings
If your initial claim and request for reconsideration are denied, you must schedule a hearing to take place at one of the two Atlanta hearing offices.
Below is a list of approval rates for the administrative law judges who hear cases in the Atlanta Downtown Hearing Office and the Atlanta North Hearing Office:
Atlanta Downtown Hearing Office
| ALJ | Approval Rate |
| Alexander, Kyle C. | 26.92% |
| Allen, McArthur | 0.99% |
| Bryant, Leroy C. | 4.93% |
| Childs, J.S. | 22.59% |
| Dabreu, O. Lisa | 71.47% |
| Dula, Melinda L. | 45.97 |
| Embree, Glenn M. | 75.60% |
| Flanagan, Brendan F. | 15.20% |
| Flowers, Nikki A. | 59.97% |
| Hurley, Gwen | 28.91% |
| Jackson Jr., Robert T. | 65.20% |
| Littlefield, Suzanne A. | 42.72% |
| McHenry, Laura G. | 48.72% |
| McMichael, Carla | 39.79% |
| Milanes, Juan E. | 33.33% |
| Morriss, Edward T. | 0.00% |
| Murray, S. Charles | 55.83% |
| Narvil, Jeffrey C. | 0.00% |
| Palenske, Robin R. | 44.84% |
Atlanta North Hearing Office:
| ALJ | Approval Rate |
| Allen, McArthur | 25.74% |
| Bedell, Laurie | 43.67% |
| Boren, Curtis | 48.04% |
| Callahan, William | 18.21% |
| Childs, J.S. | 26.78% |
| Colarusso, Todd | 36.04% |
| Conlon, James | 72.24% |
| Ehlenbeck, Steven | 35.59% |
| Fleming, Loranzo | 0.00% |
| Garmon, Ollie | 48.72% |
| Hart, Melinda K. | 0.00% |
| Lamb, Steve | 47.93% |
| Lowther, Sheila | 7.41% |
| Spivey, Verley | 58.82% |
| Waitsman, Frederick R. | 49.62% |
| Washington, Calvin | 67.64% |
*Data from http://www.ssa.gov/appeals/DataSets/03_ALJ_Disposition_Data.html
It is likely that your Atlanta Social Security Disability lawyer will be familiar with the administrative law judges who hear cases in the local hearing offices. He or she can use this insight to help you prepare your case.
As you may have experienced during the initial application process, the hearing process can take quite a long time. If you cannot wait for your hearing at its scheduled date, you should consider reaching out to your local congressman to request that he speak to the ODAR on your behalf. If you explain your medical and/or financial difficulties, he or she may be able to have your claim expedited. Below is your local congressman’s contact information.
The Equitable Building
100 Peachtree St., N.W. # 1920
Atlanta, GA 30303
Phone: (404) 659-0116
Fax: (404) 331-0947
To receive a free consultation with a Atlanta Social Security Disability attorney, complete the form below:
