There are many qualified and experienced Social Security Disability lawyers in Springfield (Hampden County) who are available to help those applying for disability benefits. While legal representation is not a required part of the Social Security Disability application process, those who have an attorney or advocate find the help of a professional to be extremely useful.
Presently, the Springfield hearing office has a backlog of 3,545 pending cases and a total wait time of 362 days. Although waiting months for a decision on your disability application isn’t ideal, many residents of Hampden County find that Social Security Disability benefits are well worth the wait. Data from December 2011 indicates that there were 20,235 SSDI beneficiaries and 30,572 SSI beneficiaries living in Hampden County.
For more information about the specific disability benefit programs, click here.
Springfield residents can apply for disability benefits online or in person at their local Social Security Office. If you plan on applying in person, it’s important to call ahead of time to schedule an appointment. Listed below are the offices near Springfield, Massachusetts:
70 Bond St.
Springfield, MA 01104
Tel: 866-964-5061
200 High St.
2nd Floor
Holyoke, MA 01040
Tel: 413-536-3649
Consulting with a Springfield Social Security Disability Attorney
Because the Social Security Disability application process can be confusing, it may be in your best interest to speak with an attorney or advocate about your claim. Having the assistances of a professional who is familiar with the ins and outs of Social Security Disability benefits will only increase your chances of approval.
Read more about the many benefits of consulting with an attorney, here.
A Springfield Social Security Disability lawyer will also handle disability claims in the following cities located in Hampshire County, Hampden County, Franklin County, Berkshire County, and Worcester County: Ludlow, Chicopee, Palmer, Monson, Wilbraham, Agawam, Longmeadow, Hampton, Holyoke, Southampton, Easthampton, Northhampton, Westhampton, Westfield, Granby, Palmer, Worcester and Southwick.
For more information about the legal professionals available to you, contact the Hampden County Bar Association:
Hampden County Bar Association
P.O. Box 559 • 50 State Street
Springfield, MA 01102-0559
Springfield Disability Hearings
If you have been through the initial application process and have been denied, you will have to request a Social Security Disability appeal hearing to be held at the Springfield Office of Disability Adjudication and Review (ODAR).
Listed below is more information regarding the administrative law judges (ALJs) that handle disability cases in the Springfield hearing office. Often an experienced lawyer will be familiar with the judges who hear cases in his or her local office. Your lawyer may be able to use this insight to your advantage to present your case successfully.
| ALJ | Approval Rate |
| Breton, Michael P. | 40.53% |
| Griswold, Kim K. | 24.67% |
| Holbrook, Todd S. | 19.70% |
| Martinelli, Peter J. | 28.65% |
| Masengill, Addison C. | 45.06% |
| Morgan, Aaron M. | 0.00% |
| Stofolo, Judith M. | 53.25% |
*Data from http://www.ssa.gov/appeals/DataSets/03_ALJ_Disposition_Data.html
Unfortunately, hearings can take a long time to be scheduled. If you find that you cannot wait for your scheduled hearing date, you may want to look into making a congressional inquiry. To do so, you must contact your local congressperson to explain your circumstances and ask that he or she intervene with the ODAR on your behalf. Your congressperson has the power to expedite your appeal hearing in extreme cases of financial or health-related hardship.
300 State Street, Suite 200
Springfield, MA 01105
Telephone: (413) 785-0325
Fax: (413) 747-0604
Complete the following form for a free legal consultation with a Springfield attorney or advocate:
