Appeals & Hearings
Disability appeals and hearings
We represent claimants whose Social Security disability claims have been denied — at reconsideration, at the hearing before an Administrative Law Judge, and at the Appeals Council. Appeal work has been the core of this practice since 1992.
Appeal services we provide
- Reconsideration requests after an initial denial, for SSDI and SSI claims
- Hearing representation before an Administrative Law Judge — preparing the medical record, treating-source opinions, your testimony, and questioning of the vocational expert
- On-the-record decision requests, where a strong file supports a win without a hearing
- Appeals Council review of an unfavorable hearing decision
- Late appeals with good-cause statements, and reopening requests on prior denials
- Urgent filings when a deadline is close — see emergency disability appeals
The one appeal we do not take is a disability overpayment case, where Social Security says it paid too much and wants it back. If your denial came from somewhere other than Social Security, call anyway — we will tell you what kind of case you have, and if it needs a different kind of lawyer, we know who to send you to.
Deadlines
An appeal must be filed within 60 days of the date on the denial notice, plus five days allowed for mailing. Some notices — such as a decision stopping benefits you already receive — carry a separate 10-day window to request that payments continue during the appeal. We calculate the operative deadline from your notice and file within it; when a deadline is days away, we say so plainly and act the same day.
How the appeal stages work
- Reconsideration. A fresh review of the file by someone who was not part of the first decision. We use this stage to complete the medical record.
- The hearing. An Administrative Law Judge hears your case — testimony, medical evidence, and usually a vocational expert. Most hearings are now held by phone or video. This is where most contested cases are decided.
- Appeals Council. A written appeal arguing the legal errors in an unfavorable hearing decision.
Arizona outcomes at the hearing stage: judges approved 61.0 percent of the cases they decided in fiscal year 2025, against 58.3 percent nationally — Tucson 70.7 percent, Phoenix North 54.6, Phoenix Downtown 56.3. Stage-by-stage figures are in Arizona disability approval rates.
What it costs
Nothing unless you win. The fee is 25 percent of past-due benefits, capped at $9,200 by federal law, paid out of the back pay when you are approved. Details and examples: how much a disability lawyer costs.
Clients also ask
How long do I have to appeal a disability denial?
60 days from the date on the denial letter, plus five days for mailing. If your deadline is only a few weeks away, file the appeal yourself immediately — it can be done online — and then get help. Never let the deadline pass while you look for a lawyer.
Should I appeal or file a new application?
Appeal. Filing a new application instead can surrender your protective filing date and, with it, months or years of back pay you had already earned. A denial is a normal stage of the process, not a verdict on your case.
What are the chances of winning a disability appeal in Arizona?
At the hearing stage in fiscal year 2025, Arizona judges approved 61.0 percent of the cases they decided, against 58.3 percent nationally. Outcomes vary by office and by how well the medical record was developed — which is the part representation controls.