Judge Ratings for Harlingen TX Social Security Hearings (Nov 2024)

The Quality of Harlingen TX Social Security Hearing Judges

Good news if you have a Social Security Disability Hearing in Harlingen! Harlingen Texas Social Security Hearing Judges have above average case approval ratings, by four percentage points. The national average for case approval rate is 54%, and as you can see from the table below, Harlingen Texas Judges are above average, namely 58%. Could be better, but not bad! However, the bad news is that two out of the three judges are below average. Read below to see who’s who. Note: we don’t count judges that have less than 50 dispositions in our analysis.

This page is for Harlingen TX Social Security Hearings, in other words, for people who live in or near Brownsville, Harlingen, McAllen, or Mission.

For other locations in Texas click on:

•  Disability Lawyer Texas

Judge Ratings for Harlingen TX Social Security Hearings

Are you wondering if you got a good judge for your Harlingen TX 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 Harlingen TX if you have a Social Security Disability/SSI appeal and live in or near Mission, Harlingen, McAllen or Brownsville. The Harlingen TX Social Security Hearing office is on West Jefferson Street across Route 69E from the Bass Pro Shop and the Sam’s Club. 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 Harlingen TX, 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 November 2024:

Social Security Disability Hearing Tip:In most cases, all of the evidence that the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) will consider at your hearing is in the “E-File”. The E-File has internal SSA documents pertaining to your case, along with your medical records and any paperwork you completed during the application and appeal processes. You can get a CD with your E-File on it, but you would have to have a computer to view it. If you have a lawyer, your lawyer will have access to your E-File through a special representative portal website. A Disability Lawyer serving Harlingen TX, like us, can explain in more detail how the E-File Impacts your case. Contact us for a free consultation or more information.

Case Approval Rates of Harlingen TX Social Security Hearing Judges

The national average for case approval rate is 54%, and Harlingen TX Judges are at 58%. Still, many have very bad experiences in Harlingen 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 might be called biased.

For example, Administrative Law Judge Carrie Kerber has the lowest case approval rate in Harlingen with 48%. That is actually pretty high, and probably within reason for judges that mostly must decide credibility regarding medical disability.

We can also see from the table that two out of three total Judges are at 48%-53%, so there is a significant chance you will draw one of these judges. If you draw a judge with 48%-53% approval rate then you will need a decent case to win, usually with lots of medical evidence and an opinion from a medical expert (like your doctor) 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 48%-53%, if you’re under age 50 you probably have to have a condition that is life-changing and stops you from working at all (not just part time). If you are age 50 or over you’ll probably need to have the preceding life-changing condition or at least 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 Harlingen TX, 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 Harlingen TX Social Security Hearing office is in theSuite 200, 2009 West Jefferson Avenue Harlingen, TX 78550.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 Harlingen TX Social Security hearing office, also known as the Office of Hearing Operations, call (877) 452-6985.

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

Photo source: By Unknown author – http://archive.li/svy9Q/59653b42541ba1b422c4f2fcf57c39ea8f5ddcc9.jpg, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=49557051