According to data released by the Social Security Administration, only one-third of applicants for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits have their claims approved. What do the other two-thirds of applicants do?
Some may give up, but giving up accomplishes nothing. Attempting to apply again may not be the best option for several reasons. One being that the reason the first application was denied may result in the denial of the second one. The disability appeals process CA presents a third option that may be more effective than the others.
The appeals process may offer the best chance of obtaining SSDI benefits, but it takes time. How much time is what this article is all about. It explains the SSDI appeal timeline California residents can expect to encounter. It starts with the initial application and continues step by step through the appeals process. At anytime, feel free to reach out to the disability professionals at Sackett and Associates for answers to your questions or for skillful representation to appeal an unfavorable decision.
Initial Application Review Process
When you submit an application for SSDI benefits, it goes to a local field office of the Social Security Administration. The field office reviews it to ensure it meets the non-medical requirements for SSDI.
After the field office completes its review, the file is sent to a Disability Determination Services agency, a state agency funded by the federal government. The DDS agency in California is the Disability Determination Services Division of the California Department of Social Services.
The California DDSD office reviews the SSDI application, including medical evidence in the form of the applicant’s medical records, to determine whether the individual has a disability meeting the federal definition. The federal government defines disability as the inability to do any substantial gainful activity due to a medically determinable physical or mental impairment expected to result in death or expected to last for at least 12 months.
The initial application re-review process takes about six to eight months. The national average processing time in January 2026 was 194 days.
Reconsideration Level Of The Appeals Process
A claim denied during the initial application review process may be appealed. The first of four levels of the process is reconsideration. Think of reconsideration as a new set of eyes reviewing your application.
Reconsideration assigns the claim to a claims examiner who did not participate in the initial review process. Claimants may submit new evidence for consideration by the claims examiner in addition to the evidence in the original file. New evidence generally includes updated medical records.
The caseload of a particular office is one of the factors affecting how long SSDI appeal takes at the reconsideration level. It generally takes from six to eight weeks for an individual to receive notification of the results of the reconsideration.
Hearing Level Of The Appeals Process
A determination at the consideration level is appealed to the hearing level. An administrative law judge reviews the file, including the evidence, and considers new evidence presented during a hearing, including testimony from witnesses, including the claimant, a vocational expert, and a medical expert.
The nationwide average time to wait for a hearing date is 274 days, or slightly over 9 months. The length of the estimated SSDI hearing wait time CA depends on the office processing the hearing request and its current caseload. For example, San Francisco has an eight-month wait, while the wait for a hearing at the two hearing offices in Los Angeles is nine months, but these can change at any time.
Appeals Council Level Of The Appeals Process
An unfavorable decision from an administrative law judge may be appealed to the Appeals Council level. The Appeals Council has the authority to review the hearing outcome.
A case at the Appeals Council level takes from 24 to 36 months to be reviewed and a decision issued. Your disability attorney may submit new evidence for inclusion in the review.
Federal Court appeals
An appeal to a federal district court is different from the other levels of the Social Security appeal steps California. The first three steps, or levels, are administrative appeals because they occur within the Social Security Administration.
The fourth level of the process involves a lawsuit filed in federal court and asks a judge to decide whether the Social Security Administration correctly applied the law and evidence in deciding your claim. The time it takes for a decision in federal court varies from several months to more than a year.
Speak With A Skilled Northern California Disability Appeals Lawyer
Sackett and Associates has been representing individuals with disabilities in all phases of the disability claims process, including disability appeals, for more than 45 years. Let our decades of experience make a difference with your SSDI appeal. Contact us today for a free consultation and case evaluation.
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