Honolulu (Honolulu County) residents have access to experienced attorneys and advocates who are available to offer guidance to those applying for disability benefits. If you are considering filing for disability, an attorney will be able to simplify the process and increase your chances of approval.
Right now, the Honolulu hearing office has a total of 622 pending cases and a wait time of 287 days. While it can be frustrating to wait nearly 300 days to receive a decision on your disability application, many residents of Honolulu County find that Social Security Disability payments are while worth the wait. In December 2011 there were 13,650 SSDI recipients and 17,144 SSI residents living in Honolulu County.
For further information on SSI and SSDI, click here.
If you can no longer work due to a disability, you can begin filing for Social Security Disability benefits by contacting your local Social Security Office and scheduling an appointment to sit down with a representative. Listed below are the offices in your area:
563 Farrington Highway
Halekuai Center
Suite 201
Kapolei, HI 96707
4334 Rice Street
Telephone: 1-800-772-1213
Suite 105
Lihue, HI 96766
Telephone: 1-800-772-1213
If you cannot schedule an appointment to apply in person, you have the option of filling out the necessary paperwork electronically on the Social Security Administration’s website or you can call your local office and have them mail you the forms.
Consulting with a Honolulu Social Security Disability Attorney
If you aren’t familiar with the Social Security Disability application process, we suggest contacting an attorney or advocate. He or she will be able to provide you with professional assistance that will likely increase your chances of being approved. To learn more about the legal options in your area, click here.
A Honolulu attorney will also handle claims in the following areas: Aiea, Kaneohe, Waimalu, Ewa Beach, Ahuimanu, Pearl City, Kailua, Waipahu, Mililani Town, Makakilo City, Wahiawa, Nanakuli, Waianae, Makaha, and Lahaina.
For more information on the lawyers near you, contact one of the following bar associations:
Hawaii State Bar Association
Alakea Corporate Tower
1100 Alakea Street, Suite 1000
Honolulu, HI
96813
Native Hawaiian Bar Association
P.O. Box 4076
Honolulu, Hawaii
96812
Honolulu Disability Hearings
An applicant that has been denied during initial or reconsideration stages of his or her disability claim must request a hearing to be held at the Honolulu Office of Disability Adjudication and Review (ODAR).
Below you will find a list of approval rates for the administrative law judges (ALJs) who hear disability claims in the Honolulu hearing office along with their approval rates:
| ALJ | Approval Rate |
| Hatfield, Jeffrey A. | 63.36% |
| Lee, Gary J. | 78.48% |
| Pease, Jesse J. | 53.92% |
*Data from http://www.ssa.gov/appeals/DataSets/03_ALJ_Disposition_Data.html
Honolulu attorneys and Social Security disability advocates are familiar with the administrative law judges with whom they often work with. He or she can use this information to help applicants prepare their cases.
In most cases, it can take quite a long time to schedule an appeal hearing. If financial strain or medical complications have made it impossible for you to wait for a hearing, you may want to request a congressional inquiry. To do so, you must call your local congressperson and explain your circumstances. He or she has the power to intervene with ODAR on your behalf. It is important to remember that while this may speed up your hearing, it is not guaranteed.
If you would like a free legal evaluation with a Honolulu Social Security attorney or advocate, fill out the form below.
