Disabled individuals living in Wilmington, Delaware (New Castle County), have access to a number of qualified Social Security Disability attorneys and advocates who are available to help them through the various stages of the disability application process.
Wilmington disability claims are often handled by the Dover hearing office. Right now, the Dover hearing office is experiencing a processing time of 401 days and has a total of 3,255 pending cases. Although it is often a long wait for a decision on an initial disability claim, countless Wilmington residents have found disability payments to be worth the wait. In fact, New Castle County was home to 14,655 SSDI beneficiaries and 9,588 SSI beneficiaries in December 2011.
To learn more about the two Social Security Disability benefit programs, click here.
If you or a loved one can no longer work do to a disability or illness, you can apply for benefits online or in person at a nearby Social Security office. Listed below are offices located near the Wilmington area:
Suite 200, 920 W Basin Road
New Castle, DE 19720
Phone: 1-302-323-0304
500 W. Loockerman Street, Suite 100
Dover, DE 19904
Phone: 1-302-674-5162
20105 Office Circle
Georgetown, DE 19947
Phone: 1-302-856-9620
Consulting with a Wilmington Social Security Disability Attorney
An attorney or advocate can increase an applicant’s chances of being approved for Social Security Disability benefits. To learn how, click here.
A Wilmington attorney will often handle disability claims in the following cities: Edgemoor, Elsmere, Wilmington Manor, New Castle, Claymont, Pike Creek, Brookside, and Newark.
To learn more about the attorneys and advocates in Wilmington, contact the Delaware State Bar Association:
Delaware State Bar Association
405 N. King Street, Suite 100
Wilmington, DE 19801
Wilmington Disability Hearings
If your disability application has been denied during the initial or reconsideration stages of the application process, you will have to request an appeal hearing. Wilmington appeal hearings are often held in the Dover office of Disability Adjudication and Review.
Below you will see a list of approval rates for the judges (ALJs) who hear disability claims in the Dover hearing office. This information can be useful to an experienced attorney who is familiar with the judges who often handle their disability claims. Your attorney may be able to use this insight to present your claim successfully.
| ALJ | Approval Rate |
| Blount, NaKeisha | 40.66% |
| Butler, Steven L. | 50.72% |
| Kurlander, William A. | 15.42% |
| Penca, Jack | 27.14% |
| Reeves, Anthony | 60.00% |
*Data from http://www.ssa.gov/appeals/DataSets/03_ALJ_Disposition_Data.html
In some instances, it can take a long time to have your appeal hearing scheduled. If you are suffering from extreme financial or medical complications, contact your local congressman to inquire if he or she can speak with the ODAR to expedite your disability hearing. Your local congressman can be contacted at:
John Carney
Wilmington Office
233 N King Street, Suite 200
Wilmington, DE 19801
Phone: (302) 691-7333
Fax: (302) 428-1950
Toll-free (877) 899-7872
