Social Security Disability lawyers are available to assist Birmingham (Jefferson County) residents who are unable to work because of a disability. A Birmingham Social Security attorney or lawyer can help you avoid long processing times and resolve your case quickly.
Currently, there are 11,226 pending cases at the Birmingham Hearing office and the wait time is 431 days, but many Birmingham residents find Social Security payments worth the lengthy wait. As of December 2011, there were 29,065 individuals receiving SSDI benefits and 25,065 individuals receiving SSI benefits in Jefferson County.
To learn more about the different Social Security Disability programs see our page: Social Security Programs.
Birmingham area residents have the option to apply for disability online or in person at their local SSA office. Below is a list of offices in your area:
1200 Rev, Abraham Woods Jr Blvd
1st Floor
Birmingham, AL 35235
Telephone: 1-800-772-1213
5475 Academy Way
Bessemer, AL 35022
Telephone: 1-800-772-1213
Trussville Executive Park
1972 Gadsden Highway
Birmingham, AL 35235
Telephone: 1-800-772-1213
Consulting with a Birmingham Social Security Disability Attorney
If you are unfamiliar with the Social Security Disability program, you should consider consulting with a Birmingham disability attorney or advocate. There are many professionals in Birmingham who can help applicants with their disability claims from beginning to end. To learn more about the benefits of hiring an attorney see this page.
A Birmingham Social Security Disability lawyer will also handle disability claims in the following cities located in Jefferson County, Walker County, Cullman County, Blount County, St. Claire County, Shelby County, Tuscaloosa County, and Bibb County: Hoover, Bessemer, Tuscaloosa, Cullman, Gadsden, Tupelo, Decatur, Madison, Huntsville, Alexander City, Trussville, Clay, Oneonta, Graysville, Brookside, and Alabaster.
To learn more about Birmingham disability attorneys and lawyers contact your local bar association:
Birmingham Bar Association
2021 2nd Avenue North
Birmingham, AL 35203
Birmingham Disability Hearings
If your initial claim is denied, you must request a Social Security Disability hearing to be held at the Birmingham Office of Disability Adjudication and Review (ODAR).
Below is a list of approval rates for administrative law judges (ALJs) who handle disability cases in the Birmingham hearing office:
| ALJ | Approval Rate |
| Brown, Cynthia | 47.41% |
| Brownfield, Michael L. | 47.93% |
| Copeland, Denise A. | 52.24% |
| Dougherty, Brian | 0.00% |
| Gurthie, Clarence | 18.25% |
| Hagler, Renee B. | 29.33% |
| Helmer, Mary E. | 39.94% |
| Horton, David L. | 61.76% |
| Johnson, Lisa M. | 38.18% |
| Kraft, Emilie | 40.73% |
| Lawson, William | 64.80% |
| MacKenzie, Bruce W. | 20.74% |
| Martin, Perry | 40.95% |
| McDonald, Shelia E. | 30.84% |
| Merchant, George W. | 27.67% |
| Munford, Jerome L. | 54.28% |
| Rachal, Steven M. | 36.29% |
| Vincent, Jill Lolley | 48.15% |
*Data from http://www.ssa.gov/appeals/DataSets/03_ALJ_Disposition_Data.html
Birmingham disability lawyers are often familiar with the judges who review cases in the Birmingham hearing office and can use that insight to prepare your case.
If you are facing extreme financial or medical distress and need to your hearing to be scheduled sooner, you should consider contacting your local congressman to request that he or she intervene with the ODAR on your behalf. The congressman for the Birmingham area can be contacted at:
1900 International Park Dr.,
Birmingham, AL 35243
Telephone: 205-969-2296
Fill out the form below to receive a free evaluation from a Birmingham Social Security attorney:
