Disability and illness can cause significant limitations—including the inability to work and earn a living. While Social Security Disability benefits exist to help disabled individuals, the application process is known for being difficult and overwhelming. Fortunately, disabled residents of Waterbury, Connecticut have access to many Social Security Disability lawyers who can help applicants navigate the system and receive the benefits they need to survive.
Before getting in touch with a disability lawyer or advocate, we would advise you to become familiar with the application process and the different benefit programs (SSI and SSDI). This will help you get comfortable and better prepared to discuss your options with your attorney.
If you have any questions prior to speaking with a legal professional, you can always contact your local Social Security office. Listed below are several offices near you:
95 Scovill St. Suite 100B
Waterbury, CT 06706
Giaimo Federal Bldg., Suite 415
150 Court St.
New Haven, CT 06510
Hiring a Waterbury Disability Attorney
While you are not required to hire an attorney or advocate during any stage of the process, it is definitely recommended that you do so. A Waterbury Social Security lawyer will be able to help you collect the necessary documents and will make sure you do not miss any crucial pieces of information.
Learn more about hiring an attorney, here: Do I Need to Hire an Attorney?
A Waterbury Social Security Disability lawyer will also handle disability claims in the following cities located in New Haven County, Litchfield County, Middlesex County, Hartford County, and Fairfield County: Oakville, Naugatuck, Watertown, Terryville, Northfield, Litchfield, Ansonia, Derby, Shelton, Meriden, Wallingford, North Haven, New Haven, Orange, Woodbridge, Bethany, Cheshire, Prospect, Union City, Woodbury, Newtown, New Britain, Bristol, and Middletown.
For more information about the legal professionals in your area, feel free to reach out to the Waterbury Bar Association:
Waterbury Bar Association
19 Leavenworth St, Waterbury, CT 06702
Waterbury Disability Hearings
It is important that you understand how difficult it may be to have your application for disability benefits approved. Many initial applications are denied. If your claim is denied, you have the right to appeal this decision in front of an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ).
Because there is no hearing office located in Waterbury, your hearing will likely be held in the Hartford Office of Disability Adjudication and Review—or ODAR. If your claim progresses to this stage, the following information may be helpful.
- The Hartford ODAR scheduled a total of 2,100 appeal hearings in the given time period.
- 84.53% of these hearings were resolved—meaning they were approved, partially approved, or denied.
- The Hartford ODAR has a total of 8 Administrative Law Judges.
- Each of the Hartford ALJs decided approximately 1.6 hearings each day during the specified time period.
- The entire office handled approximately 12.8 hearings each day during the specified time period.
- 98.53% of hearings held in the Hartford office were conducted in person while the rest were held using video conferencing technology.
- In June, 2013 the Hartford hearing office had a total of 3,914 pending cases and a wait time of 372 days.
These statistics apply to the time period between September 2012 and April 2013.
If you are not at the appeal stage of the application process, these facts and figures may not mean anything to you at the moment. However, if you find that you must prepare for an appeal hearing, you and your attorney may want to revisit this information.
A common issue that many claimants face while waiting for an appeal hearing is financial or medical instability. If you find that your health and finances are rapidly declining you may want to contact your local congressman to intervene with the ODAR on your behalf. He or she may be able to have your hearing scheduled sooner. Your local congressperson can be contacted at:
70 Blackman Road
Waterbury, CT 06704
(203) 754-4773
Complete the following form to receive a free legal consultation with a Waterbury attorney or advocate:
