Many Social Security Disability applicants make the mistake of assuming that the disability application process is simple and straightforward and that they do not need help to obtain disability benefits from the Social Security Administration. This couldn’t be further from the truth. The fact is that most applicants are denied during the initial stage of the application process and must endure a grueling appeal in order to obtain the benefits they may be entitled to.
In the State of New Hampshire approximately 51 percent of disability applicants are denied during the initial stage of the application process. While this is better than the national average, this means that more than half of the applicants in New Hampshire who apply for Social Security Disability benefits will need to undergo an appeal in order to obtain those benefits.
If your initial claim for disability benefits is denied, your best chance of overturning the denial is to attend a disability hearing before an Administrative Law Judge. These hearings are held at the SSA’s ODAR offices. In the State of New Hampshire, there is just one ODAR office handling the disability hearings for all New Hampshire residents. This ODAR office is located in the City of Manchester. The average processing time to obtain a hearing from the Manchester ODAR office is 321 days.
The table below outlines the approval rates and processing times for the ODAR office in the State of New Hampshire versus the national averages.
| Hearing Office | Approval Rate | Processing Time in Days |
| Manchester | 68.8% | 321 |
There are currently seven Administrative Law Judges who are responsible for hearing the cases of New Hampshire Social Security Disability applicants. Each judge handles his or her cases differently and while the New Hampshire approval rate is better than the national average, it is still in your best interest to obtain the help of a New Hampshire Social Security Disability attorney if you hope to have the best chance of being among those who are awarded benefits as a result of your disability hearing. New Hampshire Social Security Disability Lawyers are familiar with the different judges who work at the Manchester ODAR office and these professionals will know what your judge will need to see in order for your case to be successful.
If you would like a free consultation with a disability attorney in New Hampshire, please fill out the free evaluation form provided for you on this site. The initial consultation with a disability attorney is always free and your attorney will not collect a fee unless you win your Social Security Disability case.
