Atlanta Social Security disability
Social Security disability claim Atlanta
Atlanta Office of Decision and Review

Atlanta Social Security Disability
Claims and Hearings

  Social Security disability hearings in Atlanta will be scheduled either the downtown Atlanta Office of Decision and Review (ODAR) on Forsyth Street, or at the Atlanta North Office of Decision and Review (ODAR) on Clairmont Road. Generally claimants who live downtown or in south metro Atlanta will appear at the downtown office and claimants who live in the northern suburbs (Gwinnett, Cobb, Forsyth) will appear at the Atlanta North Office.

  Most of the Atlanta area Social Security disability judges are experienced hearing officials and several have been judges in the Atlanta and Atlanta North hearing offices for many years. With limited exceptions, you can expect to receive a fair hearing if your case is heard in either office.

  Currently, both the Atlanta and the Atlanta North hearing offices are understaffed, and both are overwhelmed with thousands of backlogged cases. A 2007 report from the federal government reveals that the Atlanta ODAR and the Atlanta North ODAR have the longest wait time in the country.

 In the spring of 2006, both Atlanta hearing offices were directed to send several hundred cases each to Administrative Law Judges in other States, including California, Arizona, Pennsylvania and West Virginia. Since that time, claims filed by Atlanta area claimants have been heard by visiting judges appearing either live or via video conference.

  Because of the staff shortages in the Atlanta area hearing offices, you and your counsel need to be aware of the following:

• Office of Disability & Review staff are no longer able to carefully number the exhibit lists or carefully put files together. Despite their best efforts, documents mailed or faxed to the hearing offices can get lost. Therefore, we recommend that you send all documents return receipt requested and that you keep copies of whatever you mail in your own file.
   
• ODAR staff are not equipped to update medical, vocational or education records. Once a request for hearing has been filed, you (the claimant) and your attorney are solely responsible for updating the exhibit files. Since hearing delays may exceed two years, you and your counsel must regularly provide updates.
   
• When you and your counsel appear at a hearing, your exhibit file should be complete. If there are missing documents and you need to “leave the record open,” the decision in your case can be delayed months or years and when the judge sits down to review the file he will not remember you. You are much better off making the judge’s life easy in the Atlanta Social Security hearing offices.

  Despite the long delays with the Atlanta hearing offices, you should definitely pursue your disability claim if you have a legitimate case. Use your best efforts to meet with your doctor regularly and ask for his or her help in completing forms for your lawyer.