Judge Ratings for Middlesboro KY Social Security Hearings (Oct 2024)

The Quality of Middlesboro KY Social Security Hearing Judges

Bad news if you have a Social Security Disability Hearing in Middlesboro! Middlesboro KY Social Security Hearing Judges have way below average case approval ratings. Very bad! The national average for case approval rate is 54%, and as you can see from the table below, Middlesboro KY Judges are far below average, namely 42%. Even worse, it appears that Middlesboro KY has only one judge who is even above average. Yikes!

This page is for Middlesboro KY Social Security Hearings, in other words, for people who live in or near Corbin, Harlan, Middlesboro, or Somerset. For other locations in Kentucky click on:

• Judge Ratings for Paducah KY
• Judge Ratings for Louisville KY
• Judge Ratings for Lexington KY

Judge Ratings for Middlesboro KY Social Security Hearings

Are you wondering if you got a good judge for your Middlesboro KY 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 Middlesboro KY if you have a Social Security Disability/SSI appeal and live in or near Corbin, Harlan, Middlesboro, or Somerset. The Middlesboro KY Social Security Hearing office is on Tech Park Drive right next to two of the greens at Middlesboro Country Club. Watch out for flying golf balls! 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 Middlesboro KY, 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: Try to know all of your medications and why they were prescribed. The best thing to do is have all of your pill bottles in front of you during the hearing. The judge will want to know how serious your conditions are and your medications are sometimes the key to that question. For example, if you are claiming that knee pain is making it impossible to work, then usually your doctor would prescribe you a high dose of pain medication to manage it. If so, the Judge will want to know what medication your doctor prescribed and how high the dosage is. Be ready! A Disability Lawyer serving Middlesboro KY, like us, can explain in more detail how medication impacts your case and how your doctor can help by filling out supportive paperwork. Contact us for a free consultation or more information.

Case Approval Rates of Middlesboro KY Social Security Hearing Judges

The national average for case approval rate is 54%, and Middlesboro KY Judges are at 42%. Still, many people have really good experiences, because some of the judges and staff genuinely care about other people. And many have very bad experiences in Middlesboro because it still is Social Security, run by the government, which is a complete and utter mess. 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 might be called biased.

For example, for Middlesboro KY Social Security hearings, Administrative Law Judge Todd Spangler has the lowest case approval percentage at 37%. That is pretty low but still within the bounds of reason. Judge Spangler could very possibly be just skeptical, and if so, that is hard to fault. Reasonable minds can differ sometimes. Note: Judge Stacy Gray looks like she’s at 0% on this table but that’s just the 1 decision at Middlesboro, in Atlanta she has many more decisions and has a case approval rate of about 79%! On the other hand, Judge Francis Joyce has an 8% case approval rate here with only 13 decisions, and that’s pretty consistent with her abysmal 11% case approval rating in Knoxville.

We can also see from the table that a whopping five (!) of the Judges are at 46% or below, so there is a chance you will draw one of these judges. If you draw a judge with at or below 46% approval rate then you will need a very good case to win, usually with lots of medical evidence and an opinion from a medical expert that you are disabled. 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 46%, if you’re under age 50 you probably have to have a condition that stops you from working at all (not just part time) or being at least age 50 or over with a physical condition that prevents the ability to stand and walk most of the time. 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 Middlesboro KY, 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 Middlesboro KY Social Security Hearing office is at 12 Tech Park Drive, Middlesboro, KY 40965. 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 Middlesboro KY Social Security hearing office, also known as the Office of Hearing Operations, call (877) 600-2851.

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 Middlesboro KY, no matter what stage your case is in, call us or email us and we will evaluate your case for free.