In New Hampshire, a Social Security disability claim is often a two step process.
The first stage is the review of your initial disability application. The Social Security Administration sends your case to Disability Determination Services - a state agency in Concord - to review your medical records and to make the initial determination on your claim. That initial determination is usually made within three or four months.
If your case is denied, then you must request a hearing by an Administrative Law Judge within 60 days.
The administrative hearings are usually conducted in Manchester, New Hampshire. The hearings are either held in person or by videoconference. At the hearing, the judge will hear your testimony, and may take testimony from a vocational expert witness. The judge will often ask your representative to make an opening statement regarding the facts and law surrounding your disability claim.
Additionally, it is my practice to prepare a hearing brief for the judge. The hearing brief describes the background facts of your claim, summarizes the medical evidence, and provides a "theory of the case," telling the judge why your claim should be granted under Social Security's rules and regulations.
There are currently four administrative law judges assigned to the Manchester, New Hampshire hearing office: Chief Judge James D'Alessandro, Judge Edward Hoban, Judge Ruth Kleinfeld, and Judge Robert Klingebiel.
If you have a New Hampshire Social Security disability claim, it is very important to select a Social Security disability lawyer who is familiar with the New Hampshire judges, because one of these judges will decide your claim.
