According to the most recent issue of the NOSSCR Forum, the New York region leads the nation in the percentage of Social Security Disability claims approved at their initial stage! 44.4% of all claims filed in New York are approved on their initial application, the second highest in the country! New Jersey is leading at 45%. Both numbers represent a significant increase over past figures, which hovered just under 40%. By contrast, the national average for Fiscal Year 2008 was only 36%.
In the almost 30 years I have practiced Disability Law I have always said that if the State Agencies responsible for the initial determinations on SSI and Social Security Disability claims did their jobs properly I would be out of a job! The Social Security Administration contracts with every state to do the inital medical evaluation of each disability claim, so what state you live in really does make a difference.
Far from putting us out of work, the aging of the Baby Boomers plus the current economic slowdown has made us busier than ever! But, at least here in the New York Metropolitan area, the Social Security Administration finally appears to be starting to do it "right"!
Lew Insler
In the almost 30 years I have practiced Disability Law I have always said that if the State Agencies responsible for the initial determinations on SSI and Social Security Disability claims did their jobs properly I would be out of a job! The Social Security Administration contracts with every state to do the inital medical evaluation of each disability claim, so what state you live in really does make a difference.
Far from putting us out of work, the aging of the Baby Boomers plus the current economic slowdown has made us busier than ever! But, at least here in the New York Metropolitan area, the Social Security Administration finally appears to be starting to do it "right"!
Lew Insler
