New York City residents have the option of applying for SSDI or SSI benefits with the help of a New York disability attorney. SSDI and SSI benefits are meant for individuals who are out of work for a year due to a long term disability. Currently, there are 5,405 pending cases at the New York (Manhattan) Hearing office and the wait time is 290 days. As of December 2011, there were 31,000 individuals receiving SSDI benefits and 80,325 individuals receiving SSI benefits in New York.
Qualifying for SSDI and SSI>>>
Those people who do not need assistance with the application can apply online at the SSA’s website. If you think you will need assistance, you can visit one of the local SSA offices listed below:
Room 120 31st Floor, 26 Federal Plaza
New York, NY 10278
Phone: 1-800-772-1213
8th FL, 32 Mercer St
New York, NY 10013
Phone: 1-800-772-1213
3rd FL, 755 2nd Ave at 41ST
New York, NY 10017
Phone: 1-800-772-1213
55 West 125th St
Cav Bldg, 6th floor
New York, NY 10027
Phone: 1-800-772-1213
345 East 102nd Street, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10029
Phone: 1-800-772-1213
New York Disability Attorneys
You should strongly consider hiring a New York disability attorney, especially if your initial claim for disability has already been denied. An attorney or advocate will be able to use his or her experience with disability claims to make sure that everything is in order with your claim.
Learn more about the benefits of hiring an attorney.
A New York City Social Security Disability lawyer will also handle disability claims in the following cities located in New York County, Kings County, Queens County, Richmond County, Westchester, and Bronx County: Manhattan, Staten Island, Queens, The Bronx, Brooklyn, Mt. Vernon, New Rochelle, White Plains, Yonkers, Hyde Park, Elmont, Hempstead, Mamaroneck, Woodmere, Levittown, Harrison, Eastchester, Tarrytown, and Hawthorne.
Listed below is the address to the local bar association in New York City. All questions related to hiring an attorney in New York can be sent to them:
New York City bar Association
42 West 44th Street
New York, NY 10036
New York Disability Hearings
If your disability claim has been denied at the 1st 2 stages of the disability application process, then you will have to request a hearing with New York Office of Disability Adjudication and Review (ODAR) in Manhattan.
Listed below are the judges (ALJs) responsible for the hearings at this ODAR and their respective approval rates:
| ALJ Name | Approval Rate |
| Dorf, Robert C. | 47.84% |
| Friedman, Michael | 10.55% |
| Gohr, Lynette | 0.35% |
| Grabeel, Thomas | 70.83% |
| Grossman, Seth I. | 27.24% |
| Hecht, Mark | 51.49% |
| Kearns, James | 8.56% |
| Morgan, Aaron M. | 6.00% |
| Penalver, Moises | 58.48% |
| Pizzuto, Marissa A. | 59.86% |
| Reich, Gitel | 54.18% |
| Romeo, Lori | 48.28% |
| Sedaca, Joani | 61.40% |
| Solomon, Mark | 29.49% |
| Stagno, Linda A. | 52.94% |
| Suarez, Flor M. | 28.95% |
| Vecchio, Lucian A. | 57.66% |
*Data from http://www.ssa.gov/appeals/DataSets/03_ALJ_Disposition_Data.html
Since the hearing presents the best chance of being approved for benefits, New York social security attorneys will have attended hundreds or even thousands of hearings in the past on behalf of other claimants. The experience and knowledge that is built up as a result could be used to your advantage during your hearing.
Sometimes it can be difficult to wait more than a year to be approved for benefits while the bills are piling. If you have an extreme circumstance and need to speed up the hearing process, you can contact your local congressman. The congressman for New York City can be contacted at:
201 Varick Street, Suite 669
New York, NY 10014
Telephone: 212-367-7350
For a free evaluation from a NYC disability attorney or advocate, fill out the form below:
