If you are a disabled resident of Peoria (Peoria County) and can no longer work, there are many Social Security Disability attorneys and advocates available to help you file for disability benefits. These legal professionals can assist you throughout the entire process to ensure the best possible outcome for your claim.
In the Peoria hearing office there are currently 4,006 pending cases and the wait time has reached a total of 371 days. While waiting that long for a decision on your claim may be less than ideal, many applicants find Social Security Disability Benefits to be worth the wait. In December 2011 Peoria County was home to 4,690 SSDI beneficiaries and 4,783 SSI beneficiaries.
To learn about the two different Social Security Disability Programs, click here.
Initiating the application process is as simple as filling out an application online or scheduling an appointment with your local Social Security office to fill out an application in person. Listed below is an office near you:
815 W Pioneer Pkwy
Peoria, IL 61615
Telephone: 1-309-689-1330
2801 Broadway
Pekin, IL 61554
Telephone: 1-309-347-6622
Consulting with a Peoria Social Security Disability Attorney
For those unfamiliar with the Social Security Disability application process, consulting an attorney may relieve some of the stress and pressure that applicants often experience. A Peoria attorney or advocate can offer legal advice and assistance every step of the way.
Read this article for more information regarding the benefits of hiring a lawyer.
A Peoria Social Security Disability lawyer will also handle disability claims in the following cities located in Peoria County, Woodford County, Marshall County, Tazewell County, Fulton County, Knox County, and Stark County: Washington, Eureka, Metamora, Chillcothe, Princeville, Elmwood, Farmington, Canton, Menito, Morton, Bartonville, Lewiston, Delavan, Normal, Bloomington, and Pekin.
Contact the following bar association for more information about the legal professionals near you:
Peoria County Bar Association
110 SW Jefferson Avenue,
Suite 520
Peoria, Illinois 61602
Peoria Disability Hearings
If you have been denied during the initial or reconsideration stages of your application, you will have to request an appeal hearing to continue your pursuit of benefits. For residents of Peoria, appeal hearings will be held at the Peoria 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 Peoria hearing office:
| ALJ | Approval Rate |
| Luetkenhaus, Robert V. | 23.74% |
| Mills III, John P. | 43.36% |
| Rickert, Gerard J. | 67.86% |
| Schwartz, Robert H. | 40.24% |
| Thompson, David W. | 28.40% |
| Wilson, Shresse M. | 38.06% |
| Winters, Kathleen | 24.21% |
| Wood, John M | 41.84% |
| Zapf, Susan F. | 38.85% |
*Data from http://www.ssa.gov/appeals/DataSets/03_ALJ_Disposition_Data.html
Often, Peoria attorneys and Social Security disability advocates are familiar with the administrative law judges who work in their local office. Your attorney can use this information to help you prepare your case effectively.
Appeal hearings often take a very long time to be scheduled. If you are experiencing financial or health related complications, you can contact your local congressperson to expedite your hearing. To do so, you must explain why you need your hearing scheduled sooner. If your congressman agrees, he may intervene with the Office of Disability Adjudication and Review (ODAR) on your behalf. The congressman in your area can be located at:
100 N.E. Monroe,
Room 100
Peoria, IL 61602
Telephone: (309)671-7027
For a free legal evaluation with a Peoria Social Security attorney, fill out the form on this page.
