Applications for important services rarely have a quick turnaround. Everyone knows that. But while this is no different for Social Security disability benefits, some are still surprised by the long waits that actually accompany this important service.
This leads us to an important question: how long does it take SSD claims to be processed in New Jersey? It’s a question that may weigh heavily on the minds of our readers and is one we hope to answer in this week’s blog post.
Processing times for disability applications vary depending on where you live, which is something that is true in every state across the nation, not just here in New Jersey. If you applied in nearby Newark, our West Caldwell readers would have to wait 12 months before a hearing would be held regarding their disability claim. And even then, there is no guarantee that the claim will be approved on the first time through.
But if our Essex County readers thought they had it bad, check out the wait times in other cities in New England:
- Baltimore, Maryland – 16 months
- Lawrence, Massachusetts – 15 months
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – 15 months
But these aren’t even the highest in the nation. Applicants in Jacksonville, Florida often wait 18 months before reaching the hearing process. In Miami, applicants fair no better, often waiting 19 months for a claims hearing.
It’s also worth pointing out that some people have had to wait even longer than this. Take for example the case of a woman out of Ransomville, New York who did not receive a hearing for her claim for nearly two years. Recently this month though, her claim was approved and she was even awarded retroactive payments back to March 2012.
