The Social Security Administration does not like negative publicity

I blogged about my Social Security Disability case back in November. As that post is now in my top ten most popular, and I am still waiting for the answer to my appeal to the Hearing Decision, I thought I would run these little tidbits.  The first is from a group called the Social Security Disability Coalition:

"It is very important to tell all the media outlets you can (newspapers, TV, radio) about your problems with the Social Security Disability process, the Social Security Disability Reform Petition, The Fullerton - Edwards Social Security Disability Reform Act, and the Social Security Disability Coalition.  This way they will see how widespread these problems are and that you are not the only one going through this.  Also keep in mind that under Social Security Policy DI 23020.005 - One of the criteria for Critical Cases are those with adverse public relations potential.  When the SSA becomes aware of a critical case situation, it is supposed to complete all actions on the case as soon as possible.  The SSA does not like negative publicity and often claims "surprisingly" get approved soon after a claimant's story is featured in the media.  You can find and contact the all media outlets in your area and around the country through the Congress.org Media Guide."

Social Security Disability Coalition
Congress.org Media Guide
NOTE: If you get any media interest have them contact us at:  ssdcoalition@hotmail.com

The second tidbit is a review of the statistics on the two Georgia hearing judges that I used in my previous post.  The stats are from the ALJ Disposition Data website and they are still the same because the website has not been updated since my last post.  Hopefully they will finish out 2010 one of these days so I can have a complete picture of the year comparing the judge who made my hearing decision with the judge who made my three friends' Fully Favorable hearing decisions at about the same time.

Once again, to summarize the 2010 stats through 9/24/10 from the spreadsheet in my previous post:

Judge Russell Lewis' (my hearing judge) decisions are Fully Favorable 45% of the time; Judge Calvin Washington's (my three friends judge) decisions are Fully Favorable 89% of the time.  

Judge Lewis' decisions are Denials 39% of the time; Judge Washington's decisions are Denials 8% of the time. 

Judge Lewis' decisions are Partially Favorable 16% of the time.  Judge Washington's are decisions are Partially Favorable 3% of the time.

Now I'm going to try the Congress.org Media Guide suggested by the Social Security Disability Coalition.

If you think that this obvious lack of objectivity and consistency in SSD hearing decisions is as wrong as I do, please do whatever you can to publicize this problem.  


Thank you!