Alabama and Social Security Disability Benefits
ALL STATE DATA UPDATED FOR 2024!
Everyone’s experience applying for Social Security Disability benefits will be unique. Part of this is because everyone’s individual medical and work history is different. But, potential applicants should also know that each state – like Alabama – has its own story to tell in terms of social security disability benefit approval rates at each stage of the process, as well as waiting times at the hearing stage.
Why is State-by-State Information Important?
Specialized disability advocates (like us here at Citizens Disability) and Alabama social security disability attorneys know all too well how important it is to understand that every state is different. It’s very helpful to know what the trends are, how long the wait times are from office to office, and what the different rates of approvals are.
Citizens Disability takes a data-driven approach to helping our clients. We want to make sure that we’re giving our clients the best possible advice at every step in the application process. We also work very hard to present the best possible case for each of our clients. Bringing together data from a wide variety of sources – including data like this, which comes from the Social Security Administration – allows us to make smart decisions when we present cases for our clients.
Finally, this information can be very helpful to applicants. Applying for social security benefits is likely a new experience for most applicants, and having an idea of what they can expect from the process can help them be engaged and involved participants with their advocates.
While your own journey may be different than the trends you see here, these tables and charts can help you understand what, on average, you can expect.
You will also find location and contact information for all the offices in Alabama below.
Applying for Social Security Disability Benefits in Alabama – What You Need To Know
There are generally three stages in the application process for Social Security Disability benefits: initial application, reconsideration, and the hearing. In this table, you can see how Alabama compares to the national average (all states in America) when it comes to approval rates at each of those stages.
| Initial Application (L1) | Reconsideration (L2) | Hearing (L3) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 35.6% | 15.2% | 59.2% |
| National Average | 39.5% | 15.1% | 57.7% |
| State Difference: | -3.9% | 0.1% | 1.5% |
As the table shows, in 2024, Alabama is slightly behind the national average in terms of approvals of Initial Applications but is slightly ahead of the national average when it comes to approvals at the Reconsideration and Hearing Levels.
Alabama Initial Application Approval Over Time
| Initial Application Approval Rate | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 35.6% | 35.5% | 34.3% | 32.2% | 32.2% | 32.7% | 31.4% | 28.1% | 27.0% | 26.8% |
| National Average | 39.5% | 38.9% | 38.8% | 37.7% | 38.3% | 37.6% | 35.3% | 34.4% | 33.5% | 32.8% |
As the table and the below chart show, Alabama has been consistently well behind the national average when it comes to approvals of Initial Applications going back to at least 2015. In 2024, Alabama ranked 45th in the nation in terms of percentage approval of Initial Applications. While approval rates have improved in Alabama over the last few years, they clearly still lag behind the national average. If you are thinking of applying for SSDI, don’t worry – there are multiple stages to the application process.
Alabama Reconsideration Approval Over Time
| Reconsideration Approval Rate | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 15.2% | 18.4% | 15.6% | 13.8% | 11.0% | 11.7% | 15.9% | 17.6% | 15.6% | 13.5% |
| National Average | 15.1% | 15.5% | 15.0% | 13.2% | 13.6% | 13.4% | 12.4% | 12.9% | 12.6% | 11.7% |
As the table and the below chart indicate, Alabama has recently surpassed the national average when it comes to approvals at the Reconsideration level. In 2024, Alabama ranked 25th in the nation for highest percentage of approvals at Reconsideration. However, as you can see, in general, the chances of winning approval at Reconsideration are not particularly high. That is why many applicants must continue in the next level, the Hearing.
Alabama Hearings Approval Over Time
| Hearing Approval Rate | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 59.2% | 60.3% | 57.3% | 57.9% | 54.4% | 55.4% | 56.8% | 61.1% | 58.8% | 55.0% |
| National Average | 57.7% | 56.8% | 54.2% | 54.7% | 51.1% | 52.9% | 53.9% | 56.8% | 54.7% | 53.4% |
As the table and the below chart indicate, Alabama has consistently been slightly better than the national average when it comes to approvals at the Hearing level. In 2024, Alabama ranked 16th in the nation for highest percentage of approvals at Hearings.
However, as you’ll see below, all individual hearing offices in Alabama are not the same – each office has its own approval rates, and almost as importantly, waiting times. Which hearing office your case is assigned to in Alabama may have a significant bearing on your chances for approval.
Also worthy of note is the fact that past performance is only one indicator of likely outcomes; as new data comes in, you might see that a state’s performance compared to the national average has either improved or weakened.
Alabama SSDI Hearing Wait Times & Approval By Office
Alabama is part of the Social Security Administration’s “Region 4,” which is headquartered in Atlanta, George. There are 4 hearing offices in Alabama. You can see waiting times for hearings & case dispositions for each office below, with comparisons to Alabama and National Averages.
The “Hearing Wait Time (Months)” is, on average, how long it takes in between when an applicant asks for a Hearing and when that hearing occurs.
The “Average Disposition Time (Days)” is, on average, the number of days in between when an applicant asks for a Hearing, and when the Administrative Law Judge who hears their case actually makes a decision on that case.
The “Average Approval Rate” is percentage at which cases are decided in favor of the applicant.
| Hearing Wait Time (Months) | Average Disposition Time (Days) | Average Approval Rate (2024) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| National Average | 9.3 | 366 | 57.7% |
| Alabama Average | 6.3 | 281 | 59.2% |
| BIRMINGHAM | 6.9 | 304 | 50.9% |
| FLORENCE | 6.3 | 281 | 48.9% |
| MOBILE | 6.8 | 277 | 70.0% |
| MONTGOMERY | 5.5 | 264 | 64.8% |
As the table here and the chart below indicate, in 2024, for both Alabama, is well below the national average for Hearing Wait Time and Average Disposition Time. Alabama is above average in terms of approval rating. However, certain offices in Alabama, are lagging behind the national average. Alabama is ranked 1st for average wait time for hearing.
These waiting times and approval rates only highlight how important it can be to have a qualified representative – such as an Advocate from Citizens Disability – working on your case. The Government Accountability Office has done research that shows that an applicant who has a representative has an up to three times greater chance of being approved than a person who goes it alone.
Hearing Offices in Alabama & The SSA Offices They Serve
These are the “Office of Hearing Operations” offices in Alabama. These offices are where hearings are scheduled and generally conducted. Each OHO office supports a number of regional Social Security Administration field offices. You are likely (but not guaranteed) to have your hearing scheduled with a Judge who works in the OHO office that supports the SSA field office nearest to you.
Hearing Office Region 4 Birmingham SSA, OHO
1st Floor 1200 Rev. Abraham Woods, Jr. Boulevard
Birmingham, Alabama 35285
(866) 613-2863 • (205) 801-2983 • (877) 670-6787
8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Offices Served:
ALABAMA: Albertville, Bessemer, Birmingham (Downtown), Birmingham (East), Gadsden, Jasper, Talladega, Tuscaloosa
Hearing Office Region 4 Florence SSA, OHO
Walnut Street Executive Center
204 South Walnut Street, Suite D
Florence, Alabama 35630
(866) 964-9978 • (256) 764-6278 • (877) 871-1886
8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Offices Served:
ALABAMA: Cullman, Florence, Huntsville
Hearing Office Region 4 Mobile SSA, OHO
Suite 200 550 Government Street
Mobile, Alabama 36602
(866) 563-4698 • (251) 441-5993 • (877) 871-2433
8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Offices Served:
ALABAMA: Andalusia, Dothan, Fairhope, Jackson, Mobile and FLORIDA: Ft. Walton Beach, Pensacola
Hearing Office Region 4 Montgomery SSA, OHO
Suite 200 4344 Carmichael Road
Montgomery, Alabama 36106
(866) 931-9032 • (334) 213-3696 • (877) 871-3055
8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Offices Served:
ALABAMA: Alexander City, Anniston, Montgomery, Opelika, Selma
List of Social Security Administration Field Offices in Alabama
| Office Name | Location | Address | City | State | Phone Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BIRMINGHAM DT AL | DISTRICT OFFICE-1ST FL | 1200 REV ABRAHAM WOODS | BIRMINGHAM | AL | (800) 772-1213 |
| MONTGOMERY AL | SUITE 100 | 4344 CARMICHAEL RD | MONTGOMERY | AL | (866) 593-0914 |
| MOBILE AL | SUITE 100 | 550 GOVERNMENT ST | MOBILE | AL | (866) 593-1922 |
| DECATUR AL | 717 MCGLATHERY LN SE | DECATUR | AL | (888) 289-9185 | |
| GADSDEN AL | 204 ENTERPRISE DRIVE | GADSDEN | AL | (877) 316-4418 | |
| ANNISTON AL | 801 QUINTARD AVENUE | ANNISTON | AL | (877) 701-2139 | |
| DOTHAN AL | 1778 WHATLEY DRIVE | DOTHAN | AL | (877) 452-4192 | |
| TUSCALOOSA AL | STE 1200 | 2005 UNIVERSITY BLVD | TUSCALOOSA | AL | (877) 480-4988 |
| SELMA AL | 120 EXECUTIVE PARK LN | SELMA | AL | (877) 628-6541 | |
| FLORENCE AL | 203 SOUTH WALNUT ST | FLORENCE | AL | (855) 884-3407 | |
| HUNTSVILLE AL | 4970 RESEARCH DRIVE,NW | HUNTSVILLE | AL | (866) 593-0665 | |
| AUBURN AL | 2454 E UNIVERSITY DR | AUBURN | AL | (877) 512-3857 | |
| ANDALUSIA AL | 24467 ALABAMA HWY 55 | ANDALUSIA | AL | (877) 405-7657 | |
| TALLADEGA AL | 736 NORTH STREET EAST | TALLADEGA | AL | (877) 619-2854 | |
| BESSEMER AL | 5475 ACADEMY WAY | BESSEMER | AL | (800) 772-1213 | |
| JASPER AL | 501 THE MALL WAY | JASPER | AL | (877) 575-5199 | |
| CULLMAN AL | 1908 COMMERCE AVE NW | CULLMAN | AL | (877) 803-6323 | |
| ALBERTVILLE AL | 412 MARTLING ROAD | ALBERTVILLE | AL | (800) 521-0073 | |
| BIRMINGHAM EAST AL | TRUSSVILLE EXEC. PARK | 1972 GADSDEN HWY. | BIRMINGHAM | AL | 800) 772-1213 |
| FAIRHOPE AL | 101 COURTHOUSE DR | FAIRHOPE | AL | (866) 837-5964 | |
| ALEXANDER CITY AL | 63 ALIANT PARKWAY | ALEXANDER CITY | AL | (877) 405-0483 | |
| JACKSON AL | 4249 N COLLEGE AVE | JACKSON | AL | (877) 476-4484 |
All data on this page is current as of February, 2022.
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