If you go into the Social Security Disability claim process believing that the application process will be simple and straightforward, you are going to be in for quite an unpleasant surprise. The truth of the matter is that applying for Social Security Disability benefits is a rather complex process and many people fail at their attempt to obtain the benefits they so desperately need. In the State of Nebraska nearly 65 percent of the applicants who try to obtain disability benefits from the Social Security Administration are denied during the initial stage of the application process.
If you are denied benefits during the initial application process, your best chance of obtaining benefits is to attend a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge. This is referred to as a disability hearing. Disability hearings are conducted at the SSA’s ODAR offices (Office of Disability Adjudication and Review). In the State of Nebraska there is a single ODAR office that handles hearings for the entire state. This office is located in the City of Omaha. Because this one single office is responsible for scheduling all disability hearings for the state, the waiting periods for a hearing are quite extensive. The average processing time for the Omaha, Nebraska Office is 379 days.
The table below outlines the approval rates and processing times for the ODAR office in the State of Nebraska versus the national averages.
| Hearing Office | Approval Rate | Processing Time in Days |
| Omaha | 46.2% | 379 |
There are currently five Administrative Law Judges who are responsible for hearing the cases of Nebraska Social Security Disability applicants. While each of these judges must follow the same laws and guidelines, each have different nuances and prefer to see different aspects of a disability claim. When you work with a Nebraska Social Security Attorney your attorney will be familiar with the local Administrative Law Judges working at the local ODAR office and will understand what your judge needs to see in order to approve your claim for Social Security Disability benefits.
Many applicants are afraid they cannot afford the services of a Nebraska Social Security Lawyer. The truth is that these professionals work on a contingency basis, collecting only 25 percent of the back pay that you are awarded by the Social Security Administration. If you do not win your case, your lawyer does not collect a fee.
If you would like a free consultation with a disability attorney in Nebraska, please fill out the free evaluation form on this site. The initial consultation with a disability attorney is always free and you and your attorney will be able to discuss how to best approach your Social Security Disability hearing.
