Michigan Social Security Disability Lawyers
If you are thinking about applying for Social Security disability in Michigan, then you should weigh the benefits of hiring an attorney. An experienced Social Security disability lawyer can significantly improve the odds that your case will be approved.
Social Security data from Michigan reveals that 29% of the Social Security disability claims are denied on average. Of course, most applicants that have been denied on their first attempt appeal the decision. However, the chances of approval are even worse in the first phase of the appeals process, which is formally known as reconsideration.
The vast majority of claimants will have to wait until their hearing before an administrative law judge (ALJ) to have a significant chance of approval.
Michigan has 7 Hearing Offices where you can go to have your case heard by an ALJ. They are listed in the above table.
Most successful Social Security disability claims are approved during the hearing, largely because the ALJs have more leeway in the way they handle claims and can actually see and hear you while you present evidence of your disability.
Overall, 50% of Michigan disability hearings result in an disability benefits being awarded.
On average, Michigan residents wait 503 days for their hearing before an ALJ. Some Hearing Offices are more favorable than others.
Office | Judges | Avg. Hearing Wait Time | Average Processing Time | Avg. Dispositions Per Day Per ALJ | Cases Dismissed | Cases Approved | Cases Denied |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Detroit | 13 | 11 months | 403 days | 2.13 | 23% | 54% | 23% |
Mount Pleasant | 8 | 17 months | 586 days | 2.41 | 33% | 54% | 13% |
Livonia | 11 | 16 months | 506 days | 2.09 | 21% | 41% | 39% |
Lansing | 8 | 15 months | 494 days | 2.30 | 18% | 61% | 21% |
Oak Park | 11 | 14 months | 494 days | 2.12 | 18% | 33% | 48% |
Flint | 8 | 13 months | 507 days | 2.01 | 17% | 60% | 23% |
Grand Rapids | 8 | 16 months | 531 days | 2.53 | 16% | 51% | 33% |
All Michigan | 0 | 15 months | 503 days | 2.23 | 21% | 50% | 29% |
Judge | City of Operation | Full Favorable | Part Favorable | Total ALJ Dispositions | Total Awards | Total Decisions | Total Denials | Total Dispositions |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Janet L Alaga-Gadigian | Oak Park | 48 | 9 | 125 | 57 | 106 | 49 | 125 |
Christopher Ambrose | Lansing | 56 | 5 | 107 | 61 | 85 | 24 | 107 |
B. L Blair | Livonia | 53 | 13 | 118 | 66 | 95 | 29 | 118 |
Lawrence E Blatnik | Lansing | 40 | 4 | 81 | 44 | 57 | 13 | 81 |
Brian Burgtorf | Mount Pleasant | 31 | 14 | 174 | 45 | 143 | 98 | 174 |
Lauren G Burstein | Detroit | 9 | 4 | 58 | 13 | 39 | 26 | 58 |
Robert J Chavez | Lansing | 36 | 1 | 86 | 37 | 54 | 17 | 86 |
Laura Chess | Mount Pleasant | 38 | 17 | 100 | 55 | 83 | 28 | 100 |
Timothy J Christensen | Oak Park | 33 | 8 | 112 | 41 | 90 | 49 | 112 |
Michael S Condon | Grand Rapids | 31 | 15 | 153 | 46 | 117 | 71 | 153 |
Mary S Connolly | Livonia | 84 | 3 | 147 | 87 | 117 | 30 | 147 |
Beth J Contorer | Oak Park | 52 | 11 | 117 | 63 | 98 | 35 | 117 |
Donald G D'Amato | Livonia | 89 | 4 | 172 | 93 | 148 | 55 | 172 |
Adam Dale | Mount Pleasant | 67 | 3 | 181 | 70 | 155 | 85 | 181 |
Kari Deming | Oak Park | 73 | 8 | 149 | 81 | 127 | 46 | 149 |
Allison Dietz | Detroit | 34 | 15 | 162 | 49 | 137 | 88 | 162 |
John Dodson | Livonia | 72 | 2 | 142 | 74 | 116 | 42 | 142 |
Michael R Dunn | Flint | 29 | 9 | 87 | 38 | 70 | 32 | 87 |
Kevin W Fallis | Flint | 15 | 16 | 113 | 31 | 89 | 58 | 113 |
Ramona L Fernandez | Livonia | 70 | 4 | 131 | 74 | 108 | 34 | 131 |
Rita E Foley | Detroit | 42 | 15 | 100 | 57 | 83 | 26 | 100 |
Martha M Gasparovich | Livonia | 35 | 5 | 102 | 40 | 78 | 38 | 102 |
Donna J Grit | Grand Rapids | 37 | 10 | 138 | 47 | 113 | 66 | 138 |
Dawn M Gruenburg | Oak Park | 89 | 16 | 163 | 105 | 135 | 30 | 163 |
Carol Guyton | Detroit | 28 | 10 | 88 | 38 | 70 | 32 | 88 |
Jacqueline Y Hall-Keith | Oak Park | 41 | 2 | 82 | 43 | 62 | 19 | 82 |
Cynthia S Harmon | Grand Rapids | 54 | 20 | 158 | 74 | 138 | 64 | 158 |
Ronald Herman | Oak Park | 88 | 5 | 145 | 93 | 128 | 35 | 145 |
Virginia Herring | Oak Park | 28 | 12 | 148 | 40 | 131 | 91 | 148 |
Kevin Himebaugh | Grand Rapids | 65 | 7 | 168 | 72 | 138 | 66 | 168 |
Paul W Jones | Lansing | 52 | 5 | 193 | 57 | 175 | 118 | 193 |
James J Kent | Lansing | 77 | 14 | 191 | 91 | 157 | 66 | 191 |
David Kurtz | Flint | 36 | 15 | 125 | 51 | 112 | 61 | 125 |
Roy E LaRoche Jr. | Detroit | 24 | 8 | 140 | 32 | 124 | 92 | 140 |
Jan Leventer | Detroit | 118 | 3 | 147 | 121 | 132 | 11 | 147 |
Mikel Lupisella | Mount Pleasant | 54 | 9 | 127 | 63 | 100 | 37 | 127 |
Patrick J MacLean | Livonia | 42 | 8 | 123 | 50 | 93 | 43 | 123 |
Colleen M Mamelka | Lansing | 55 | 9 | 171 | 64 | 143 | 79 | 171 |
Jr., David A Mason | Livonia | 19 | 7 | 75 | 26 | 54 | 28 | 75 |
Christopher J Mattia | Flint | 45 | 10 | 137 | 55 | 107 | 52 | 137 |
Dennis M Matulewicz | Livonia | 106 | 12 | 191 | 118 | 170 | 52 | 191 |
Patricia S McKay | Oak Park | 21 | 5 | 98 | 26 | 69 | 43 | 98 |
Manh H Nguyen | Mount Pleasant | 39 | 15 | 137 | 54 | 113 | 59 | 137 |
JoErin O'Leary | Mount Pleasant | 61 | 13 | 152 | 74 | 129 | 55 | 152 |
Margaret ODonnell | Flint | 24 | 17 | 104 | 41 | 86 | 45 | 104 |
Nicholas M Ohanesian | Grand Rapids | 68 | 8 | 165 | 76 | 136 | 60 | 165 |
Melody Paige | Oak Park | 30 | 16 | 98 | 46 | 72 | 26 | 98 |
Nicole Quandt | Flint | 32 | 13 | 127 | 45 | 110 | 65 | 127 |
John J Rabaut | Detroit | 18 | 2 | 57 | 20 | 38 | 18 | 57 |
Dennis Raterink | Grand Rapids | 56 | 25 | 145 | 81 | 117 | 36 | 145 |
David Read | Lansing | 64 | 14 | 157 | 78 | 133 | 55 | 157 |
William G Reamon | Grand Rapids | 31 | 12 | 143 | 43 | 117 | 74 | 143 |
Amy L Rosenberg | Lansing | 47 | 4 | 99 | 51 | 74 | 23 | 99 |
Timothy C Scallen | Oak Park | 62 | 6 | 136 | 68 | 111 | 43 | 136 |
Andrew G Sloss | Flint | 19 | 9 | 128 | 28 | 106 | 78 | 128 |
Anthony R Smereka | Livonia | 57 | 11 | 154 | 68 | 123 | 55 | 154 |
Sarah R Smisek | Grand Rapids | 42 | 10 | 124 | 52 | 100 | 48 | 124 |
Regina Sobrino | Flint | 20 | 37 | 126 | 57 | 105 | 48 | 126 |
Robert J Tjapkes | Mount Pleasant | 35 | 27 | 183 | 62 | 154 | 92 | 183 |
Therese Tobin | Detroit | 34 | 1 | 152 | 35 | 123 | 88 | 152 |
Joy Turner | Detroit | 57 | 3 | 97 | 60 | 86 | 26 | 97 |
Jeanne M VanderHeide | Detroit | 60 | 17 | 160 | 77 | 134 | 57 | 160 |
Melissa Warner | Livonia | 0 | 0 | 101 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
Latanya White Richards | Detroit | 50 | 15 | 163 | 65 | 141 | 76 | 163 |
Crystal L White-Simmons | Detroit | 41 | 16 | 169 | 57 | 147 | 90 | 169 |
Elias Xenos | Detroit | 36 | 11 | 139 | 47 | 110 | 63 | 139 |
Sarah Zimmerman | Mount Pleasant | 20 | 6 | 85 | 26 | 67 | 41 | 85 |