Administrative law judge Gerald Krafsur placed on leave

Tennessee Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) Gerald Krasfur has long been known as the ALJ you want handling your disability hearing. He is widely known for approving the majority of appeals that come before him.

Unfortunately for those currently appealing denials of Social Security benefits in Mid-Tennessee, Mr. Krasfur has recently been placed on administrative leave. The exact details of his leave are unclear, but reports suggest that it was due to an incident of driving under the influence rather than anything related to his functions as an administrative law judge.

The drunk driving incident, for which Mr. Krasfur was arrested, took place on May 2, 2102. There are some reports that Krasfur has resigned since being placed on administrative leave, but these are unconfirmed as of the time of this writing.

The Social Security Administration employs approximately 1,500 Administrative Law Judges around the country. Their main function is to oversee appeals hearings for disability claims. It is widely recognized that a claimant’s best opportunity to have a denial of benefits overturned is during their hearing before an administrative law judge.

This is largely because it is their one opportunity to present their case in person before a living, breathing human being. Administrative Law Judges have considerably more leeway in their decision making process than Social Security officials who oversee other steps of the claims and appeals process.

There is a wide disparity between administrative law judges. Because they have the authority to use their discretion on disability cases, there are some who are considerably more likely to approve disability benefits than others. Having your Social Security disability hearing assigned to an ALJ who is known for approving most of the cases before him, such as Judge Krasfur, is beneficial for those who are seeking disability benefits.

While having an ALJ like Krasfur for your hearing is ideal, it isn’t necessary. If your claim is legitimate, you are likely to be approved by any ALJ.