When a person becomes disabled by an injury or illness, they may experience certain limitations that make it impossible to work. The resulting loss of income can complicate an already stressful situation.
If you are a disabled resident of Bridgeport, CT and cannot maintain employment, you may be eligible for financial assistance in the form of Social Security Disability benefits. Because the application process can be difficult to navigate, you should retain the services of a qualified Social Security Disability attorney. A legal professional will be well-versed in the area of disability benefits and will know how to get you the assistance you need.
Prior to submitting your application or even before hiring an attorney, you should get familiar with the different types of benefits available to you. This will help you make informed decisions and increase your chances of approval. Learn about Supplemental Security Income and Social Security Disability Insurance.
Any questions you have can be answered by a representative at your local Social Security field office. There are offices near you in the following locations:
3885 Main St., 3rd Floor
Bridgeport, CT 06606
24 Belden Avenue, 5th Floor
Norwalk, CT 06850
Hiring a Bridgeport Disability Attorney
Although hiring legal help is not mandatory throughout any part of the disability application process, we strongly recommend that you consult an attorney or advocate. In Bridgeport, CT there are a number of highly qualified legal professionals who will be able to help you.
For more detailed information about the benefits of hiring an attorney, visit the following page: Social Security Disability Attorney and Advocate.
A Bridgeport Social Security Disability lawyer will also handle disability claims in the following cities located in Fairfield County, New Haven County, Litchfield County, and Middlesex County: Stratford, Milford, West Haven, New Haven, North Haven, Orange, Woodbridge, Bethany, Trumbull, Fairfield, Westport, Norwalk, Darien, Stamford, Shelton, Derby, and Greenwich.
If you have questions about hiring legal representation, contact the Fairfield County Bar Association:
Fairfield County Bar Association
970 Summer Street
Stamford, CT 06905
Bridgeport Disability Hearings
Many applicants find it necessary to retain the services of an attorney or advocate once they reach the appeal phase of the Social Security Disability application process. While not everyone proceeds to this stage of the process, many applicants do.
During a disability appeal hearing, the applicant appears in front of an Administrative Law Judge who will decide the case. These hearings are held in the Office of Disability Adjudication and Review or ODAR. Because there is no ODAR in Bridgeport, your hearing will most likely be held in the New Haven hearing office.
Should your disability claim require an appeal hearing, the following statistics will be helpful to you and your attorney:
Keep in mind that these numbers were taken for the time period between September 2012 and June 2013.
- There were a total of 1,892 hearings scheduled in the New Haven hearing office.
- 85.84% of these hearings were resolved. (Meaning they were either approved, partially approved, or denied.)
- The New Haven ODAR has six different Administrative Law Judges.
- Each Administrative Law Judge decides an average of 1.7 hearings each day.
- As a whole, the New Haven office decides an average of 10.2 hearings each day.
- 97.4% of hearings in the New Haven office were held in person. The remaining hearings were conducted using video conferencing.
- In June, 2013 the New Haven hearing office had a total of 2,335 pending claims and a wait time of 332 days.
Once you schedule your appeal, it may be months until the actual hearing date. During the wait time, you may find that your finances or health decline rapidly. If you cannot wait for your hearing, you may want to contact your local congressperson to intervene with the New Haven ODAR on your behalf. While this does not always work, it may allow you to have your appeal hearing scheduled sooner. Your local congressperson can be contacted at:
211 State Street, 2nd Floor
Bridgeport, CT 06604
Phone: (866) 453-0028
Fill out the form on this page to receive a free legal evaluation with a Bridgeport attorney or advocate.
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