Los Angeles (Los Angeles County) residents have access to many Social Security Disability attorneys and advocates that can guide them through the application process for disability benefits. If you can no longer work due to a disability, a Los Angeles Social Security Disability attorney may be able to help you avoid long processing times and get you disability benefits as soon as possible.
There are two hearing offices in Los Angeles—The Los Angeles West Hearing Office and the Los Angeles Downtown Hearing office. Currently, the Los Angeles West Hearing Office has a wait time of 303 days and has 3,672 pending cases. The Los Angeles Downtown Hearing Office has a wait time of 265 days and has 2,615 pending cases. While the wait to receive a decision tends to be long, many find benefits to be well worth the delay. As of December 2011, Los Angeles County was home to 149,090 individuals receiving SSDI and 418,384 individuals receiving SSI.
If you would like to learn more about the specific Social Security Disability programs, visit this page.
If you are a resident of Los Angeles and wish to apply for disability benefits, 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 website. The second option is to make an appointment with your local SSA office and fill out an application in person. You can reach your local office at the following location:
11500 West Olympic Plaza
Suite 300
Los Angeles, CA 90064
Telephone: 866-964-4779
Consulting with a Los Angeles Social Security Disability Attorney
Many applicants find the disability application process to be long and overwhelming. Consulting with a Los Angeles Social Security Disability Attorney can reduce the stress and pressure that the application process can cause. To learn about the different benefits of hiring an attorney, click here.
A Los Angeles Social Security Disability lawyer will also handle disability claims in the following cities located in Los Angeles County, Orange County, Riverside County, Kern County, San Diego County, San Bernardino County, and Ventura County: Oakwood, Hollywood, Beverly Hills, Pasadena, Altadena, Glendale, Huntington Park, Compton, Palmdale, Monteray Park, Montabello, Pico Rivera, Whittier, La Mirada, La Habra, Buena Park, Fullerton, Anaheim, Cerritos, Cypress, Bellflower, Lakewood, Long Beach, Garden Grove, Santa Ana, Rowland Heights, Hacienda Heights, El Monte, and Inglewood. Learn more about the legal professionals in your area by contacting your local bar association:
Los Angeles County Bar Association
P.O Box 55020
Los Angeles, CA 90055-2020
Los Angeles Disability Hearings
If an applicant’s initial claim is denied, he or she must request a hearing to be held at one of the two Los Angeles hearing offices.
See below for a list of approval rates for the administrative law judges who hear cases in both the Los Angeles West Hearing Office and the Los Angeles Downtown Hearing office.
Los Angeles West Hearing Office:
ALJ | Approval Rate |
Breen, Richard T. | 25.90% |
Dunn, Barbara | 56.78% |
Fleming, Loranzo | 26.69% |
Giannikas, John P. | 83.33% |
Hoffman, Susan | 28.15% |
Lishner, Elizabeth R. | 52.71% |
Reason, Sally C. | 29.46% |
Reich, Gail | 43.47% |
Rosenbluth, Robin | 37.15% |
Wheeler, Lawrence D. | 30.67% |
Los Angeles Downtown Hearing Office:
ALJ | Approval Rate |
Agatstein, David J. | 46.04% |
Gunn, Evelyn M. | 44.13% |
Lowenstein, Robert E. | 70.80% |
Marcus, David G. | 43.36% |
Moser, James L. | 59.15% |
Weir III, Alexander | 36.22% |
*Data from http://www.ssa.gov/appeals/DataSets/03_ALJ_Disposition_Data.html
It is common for Los Angeles Social Security Disability lawyers to be familiar with the judges who hear cases in the local hearing offices. A lawyer can use this insight to an applicant’s advantage when preparing his or her case.
As with the initial application process, the hearing process can take a long time. If you are unable to wait for your hearing, due to financial or medical hardship, you should consider reaching out to your local congressperson to request that he speak to the ODAR on your behalf. Below is your local congressperson’s contact information:
350 South Bixel Street
Suite 120
Los Angeles, CA 90017
For more on disability benefits in California, see How To Qualify For Disability In California.
For a free consultation with a Los Angeles Social Security Disability attorney, complete the form below: