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A Wilmington (New Hanover County) disability attorney or advocate will be able to help the residents of Wilmington who are trying to navigate through the often-confusing social security disability program. The first decision that your attorney will help you make is whether you should apply for SSDI or SSI. As of December 2011, there were 5,850 individuals receiving SSDI benefits and 4,119 individuals receiving SSI benefits in New Hanover County.
The first step in the disability application process is submitting an initial application. This can either be done on the SSA’s website or at close by Social Security Administration (SSA) Office. A few options are listed below:
1528 S 16th St
Wilmington, NC 28401
4430 Kahn Drive
Lumberton, NC 28358
2559 N Queen Street
Kinston, NC 28051
Hiring a Wilmington Social Security Attorney
If you choose to hire an attorney, he or she will fill out the paperwork on your behalf. When filling your initial application, you will also have to send SSA Form-1696. This forms lets the SSA know that you have an attorney representing you and that all communication regarding your claim should go through your attorney.
Learn how an attorney can help you with your claim.
A Wilmington Social Security Disability lawyer will also handle disability claims in the following cities located in New Hanover County, Brunswick County, Columber County, and Pender County: Myrtle Grove, Wrightsville Beach, Kings Grant, Murraysville, Ogden, Bayshore, Hampstead, Castle Hayne, Skippers Corner, Jacksonville, NC, Hightsboro, Wrightsville, Leland, Belville, Silver Lake, Brugaw, Montegue, and Old Town.
All questions about the process of hiring an attorney or the paperwork necessary should be directed to the New Hanover County Bar Association:
Post Office Box 7068
Wilmington, NC 28406
Wilmington Disability Hearings
If your claim is among the many that are denied at both the initial and reconsideration levels, you will have to file a request for a disability hearing. All disability hearings are held at a SSA Office of Disability Adjudication and Review (ODAR). All Wilmington residents will have their hearings held at the Greenville, SC ODAR.
Currently, there are 5,597 pending cases at the Greenville ODAR and the wait time is 389 days. From October 2012 to January 2013, the Greenville office had 1480 hearings scheduled. Approximately 90.5% of these hearings were resolved (approved, partially approved or denied). The 10 judges in the Greenville office handled about 1.9 dispositions per day.
If you are unable to make it to the hearing, having it through video conferencing is an option. Approximately, 27% of the hearings were held through video conferencing in Greenville.
If you have not hired an attorney prior to your hearing, you should definitely do so before attending your hearing. An attorney will teach you how to answer questions you will be asked at hearing and prepare your for any potential curveballs that could be thrown your way as well.
The congressman for the Wilmington area is located at:
497 Olde Waterford Way, Suite 206
Leland, NC 28451
(910) 399-1134
You should contact Mr. McIntyre’s Office to see if it possible to sped up the hearing process. However, you should be aware that these requests are very rarely granted.
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