The Social Security Administration renders decisions on social security disability claims in Connecticut based on specific eligibility criteria. As such, winning your social security case can be a challenge. Currently, 30.3% of initial social security disability claims in the state of Connecticut are awarded, which falls just below the national average of 32.1% of initial claims being awarded. The process of applying for and proving eligibility to receive SSD benefits in Connecticut is intensive, despite the fact that most claims are denied. For the two-thirds of initial SSD claims that are denied, only 11% are eventually awarded during the reconsideration process, leaving applicants to either give up or pursue another course of action. Disability claimants who have been denied benefits during the appeal may ask to have their case reviewed by an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) at a local ODAR or SSD hearing office. There are two hearing offices serving the people of Connecticut. The offices are located in the cities of Hartford and New Haven.
The average length of time required to process a hearing request is 342 days in Connecticut and 349 days nationwide. The likelihood of winning your Connecticut social security disability case increases significantly at the hearing stage, jumping from 11% of initial appeals being awarded to more than 62% of second appeals being awarded. Nationally those respective percentages are 11% to 58%. More than half of the cases heard at the Hartford and New Haven offices are awarded.
| Hearing Office | Approval Rate | Processing Time in Days |
| Hartford | 50.8% | 341 |
| New Haven | 54.4% | 343 |
Thirteen judges oversee Connecticut disability hearings. Seven judges work from the Hartford hearing office and six oversee the cases that are heard in the New Haven hearing office. One of the benefits of working with a local CT social security disability attorney is the ability to leverage your attorney’s experience. An attorney who has attended hearings at the Hartford and New Haven hearing offices will be more likely to present a solid case before the judges because a degree of familiarity with the ALJ’s preferences will have been established.
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To get a free consultation with a local disability attorney in Connecticut, simply fill out the form on this site. There is never a charge for initial consultations and you are under no obligation. You will not be charged a fee unless your disability attorney wins your case.
