Under regulations in place since 2017, the Social Security Hearing Office is required to give you 75 days’ notice before your hearing. This will provide you with enough time to do three important things:
First, block that date out on your calendar. The average wait time in Omaha for a disability appeals hearing is 15 months, so postponing your hearing is something you will want to avoid.
And, if you miss your hearing and don’t have a very good reason for doing so, the Administrative Law Judge overseeing your case may deny your disability benefits.
Second, if you are not going to drive yourself to the hearing, line up reliable transportation well in advance of your hearing date. It is also a good idea to make a test drive to the hearing location before your hearing date, especially if you are unfamiliar with the address.
And finally, the three most important things in winning a disability benefits claim are medical records, medical records, and medical records. As soon as you receive a Notice of Hearing and know the date when your hearing has been scheduled, request your most recent records from all of your healthcare providers. The 75 days should give you enough time to see your doctor to get up-to-date medical records, or have new testing done, if needed. Be sure to share those new medical records with your attorney and they will submit copies of those records to the hearing office.
Too many disability cases are lost due to simple, avoidable mistakes. Because disability law is all we do, we can help you by making sure all deadlines are met, the proper paperwork is filed and by presenting the best possible legal arguments on your behalf at your hearing. Call us at Cuddigan Law for a free evaluation of your case.
