The application and review process to receive social security disability benefits in Michigan takes time, effort and attention to detail. Like most states, more than two-thirds of initial social security disability claims in Michigan are denied. Only 29.7% of initial SSD claims are awarded in Michigan compared with 32.2% nationally. Michigan SSD cases that are re-sent to the Social Security Administration for reconsideration are awarded 24.2% of the time. For the injured worker, it is often in his/her best interest to appeal a denied claim second time and ask that the disability case is reviewed in a local Michigan ODAR or hearing office by an administrative law judge. There are 7 hearing offices in the state of Michigan located in the following cities: Grand Rapids, Oak Park, Detroit, Lansing, Flint, Livonia, and Mt. Pleasant.
Generally speaking, the processing time to get a hearing for your disability case is going to be around one year. In the state of Michigan the average amount of days that pass between the time you request a hearing and the time you actually have your case heard is 324 days. The national average is 349 days. But at the hearing level, your chances of having your case awarded increase from 24% at the reconsideration level to 56.8% at the hearing level (58.1% nationally). Of course, the approval rates and processing times vary from office to office. You can review the chart below to find out the averages at local Michigan disability hearing offices.
| Hearing Office | Approval Rate | Processing Time in Days |
| Grand Rapids | 45.3% | 454 |
| Oak Park | 52.6% | 254 |
| Detroit | 36.6% | 291 |
| Lansing | 46.5% | 292 |
| Flint | 52.1% | 307 |
| Livonia | 52.5% | 291 |
| Mt. Pleasant | 47.0% | 381 |
Within the 7 hearing offices in the state of Michigan, there are 71 administrative law judges reviewing social security disability cases. The Detroit offices has 13 judges, 6 judges work in Flint, 9 judges work in Grand Rapids, Lansing has 7 judges and Livonia has 10 ALJs. There are 13 administrative law judges serving Mt. Pleasant as well as 13 serving in Oak Park. A Michigan disability lawyer with regular experience attending SSD hearings offers the added benefit of already having some insight on the behaviors and tendencies of the ALJs currently serving in local hearing offices.
You can arrange to have a free consultation with a local SSD lawyer in Michigan by completing the free evaluation form that can be found on this site. You are not obligated to hire an attorney. There is no charge for the consultation and you are never charged a fee for services unless you are awarded disability benefits. Anyone living in Michigan can apply for SSI (or SSDI) at their closest Social Security office in Michigan.
For specific information on hiring a Social Security attorney in Michigan, click on the city closest to you below:
- Ann Arbor, MI
- Canton, MI
- Dearborn, MI
- Detroit, MI
- Farmington Hills, MI
- Flint, MI
- Grand Rapids, MI
- Kalamazoo, MI
- Lansing, MI
- Livonia, MI
- Southfield, MI
- Sterling Heights, MI
- Troy, MI
- Warren, MI
- Waterford, MI
- West Bloomfield Township, MI
- Westland, MI
- Wyoming, MI
For more info on qualifying for disability in Michigan, see How To Qualify For Disability In Michigan.
