Why Is There Such a Delay In Handling Your Claim? | Hillsborough Country Social Security Disability Attorney

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Did you know that the number of new initial applications has increased by 20% over the last 10 years? Did you know that in the last 10 years the backlog has doubled?

The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has issued a report that looks at the reasons for this backlog. The report, Social Security Disability: Better Planning, Management and Evaluation Could Help Address Backlogs, GAO-08-40 (Dec.2007) can be found at www.gao.gov.

According to the GAO the backlog is due to the filing of initial applications by baby boomers, staff losses, and SSA management decisions.

Why the delay at the initial application and reconsideration stages? These stages are handled in each state by the Disability Determination Services unit. These are state and not federal employees.

One of the most fascinating numbers in the report is that Disability Determination Services (DDS) staffing has only grown by 4% in the last ten years while the number of disability applications increased some 20%. Even more important number is this startling one – DDS employees quit at twice the rate as SSA employees!

Inadequate staffing and double the cases. No reason people quit. All of which means, unfortunately, DELAY!