Judge Ratings for Columbia SC Social Security Hearings (Oct 2024)

The Quality of Columbia SC Social Security Hearing Judges

Columbia SC Social Security Hearing Judges have exactly national average case approval ratings. That being said, it appears that Columbia SC does have seven judges who are below the national average. The national average for case approval rate is 54%, and as you can see, Columbia SC Judges are right-on-the-nose average, namely 54%.

This page is for Columbia SC Social Security Hearings, in other words, for people who live in or near Aiken, Bennettsville, Columbia, Florence, Orangeburg, Sumter, or Augusta, GA. For Anderson, Greenville, Spartanburg, Clinton, and Greenwood Social Security Hearings click on Judge Ratings for Greenville SC. For Beaufort, Charleston, Conway, Georgetown, Myrtle Beach, or Walterboro Social Security Hearings click on Judge Ratings for Charleston SC.

Judge Ratings for Columbia SC Social Security Hearings

Are you wondering if you got a good judge for your Columbia SC Social Security Hearing for Disability or SSI scheduled in the Office of Hearing Operations (OHO)? Do you want to know everything you can about the where, why and how of the hearing itself? You’re not alone, most of our clients desperately want to know every detail of their Disability Hearing so that they have the best chance of winning. You might have a hearing in Columbia SC if you have a Social Security Disability/SSI appeal and live in or nearAiken, Bennettsville, Columbia, Florence, Orangeburg, Sumter, or Augusta, GA. The Columbia SC Social Security Hearing office is on Executive Center Drive right off of Exit 63 on Route 20 near the Cracker Barrel. You can find the name of your judge on a hearing scheduled notice or call the number for the hearing office (at the bottom of this page). Here are all the judges’ statistics and other information that you need, and if you’re looking for a Disability Lawyer serving Columbia SC, don’t hesitate to call us or email us and we will evaluate your case for free.

Judges’ Statistics

The following table is up to date as of October 2024:

Social Security Disability Hearing Tip: The Judge will determine your “Residual Functional Capacity” or “RFC” in order to decide whether you are disabled or not. RFC is just a fancy way of saying how the Judge believes your disability affects you. For example, a healthy person can stand for 8 hours out of an 8 hour workday. But if you have degenerative knee disease that has required multiple surgeries, you may only be able to stand for a total of 1 hour out of an 8 hour workday. This is part of your RFC, and the other parts are all of the abilities a person has, such as walking, lifting & carrying, climbing stairs, hearing, seeing, etc. The Judge will determine your ability to do all of those things. A Disability Lawyer serving Columbia SC, like us, can explain in more detail how your RFC is determined and how your doctor can help. Contact us for a free consultation or more information.

The Quality of Columbia SC Social Security Hearing Judges

Columbia SC Social Security Hearing Judges have exactly national average case approval ratings. That being said, it appears that Columbia SC does have seven judges who are below the national average. The national average for case approval rate is 54%, and as you can see, Columbia SC Judges are right-on-the-nose average, namely 54%. Still, many have very bad experiences in Columbia SC because it still is Social Security, run by the government, which is a complete and utter mess. And many people have really good experiences, because some of the judges and staff genuinely care about other people. The judges there are doing the best they can. Do they get decisions wrong sometimes? Of course, they are human. Only those with very low case approval rates would I call biased.

For example, for Columbia SC Social Security hearings, Administrative Law Judge Flora Vinson has the lowest case approval percentage at 45%. That is a pretty low approval rate but still within the bounds of reason. She may be a little conservative, and/or a little skeptical. The last thing these judges want to do is give someone a Disability Check who is not really disabled, just lazy. If you draw a judge with at or below 45% approval rate then you will need a good case to win, usually with lots of medical evidence. Make sure you get all of your relevant medical records and try to get a supporting letter from your doctor. To win with a judge at or under 45%, if you’re under age 50 you probably have to have an at least partly debilitating condition or being at least age 50 or over with a physical condition that prevents the ability to stand and walk at least partially. In both cases, you may lose if you have sedentary work experience. Click here to get more information about the rules, or a Disability Lawyer serving Columbia SC, like us, can give you the information you need. Click here for a free case evaluation.

Where Will My Hearing Be Held?

Most hearings will be held by phone, the judge’s clerk will call your phone and place you in a conference call. The whole hearing will be held via conference call, it’s actually very efficient. If you have a lawyer the evidence is submitted electronically before the hearing.

If you don’t have a lawyer you’ll have to bring your evidence to the hearing office or mail it in. You can request an in-person hearing, but we don’t advise it. If you do have a in-person hearing or need to submit evidence, check the SSA hearing office locator website. The Columbia SC Social Security Hearing office is in Suite 215 of 101 Executive Center Drive, Columbia, SC 29210. You’ll go through the metal detectors – don’t bring any weapons, even a pocket knife, or they won’t let you in. Then check in with the staff and wait to be called for your hearing. If you need to reach the Columbia SC Social Security hearing office, also known as the Office of Hearing Operations, call (866) 399-6950.

What should I do if I need help with my hearing?

If you do not have a lawyer yet, the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) presiding over your case will almost always give you a postponement to try to get a lawyer. These hearings are very difficult without a lawyer, and the ALJs rarely get the evidence they need unless a lawyer is involved. If you need a Disability Lawyer serving Columbia SC, no matter what stage your case is in, call us or email us and we will evaluate your case for free.