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Judge Ratings for Providence RI Social Security Hearings (Oct 2024)

October 30, 2024 Disability

The Quality of Providence RI Social Security Hearing Judges

Not great news if you have a Social Security Disability Hearing in Lawrence! Lawrence MA Social Security Hearing Judges have below average case approval ratings. The national average for case approval rate is 54%, and as you can see from the table below, Lawrence MA Judges are below average, namely 50%. Could be better! It appears that Lawrence MA has five judges who are below average, and their highest case approval rate is pretty much the same as the national average. However, the good news is that they are all at or over 40%.

This page is for Providence RI Social Security Hearings, in other words, for people who live in or near Newport, Pawtucket, Providence, Warwick, or Woonsocket. For other locations around Rhode Island click on:

Judge Ratings for Providence RI Social Security Hearings

Are you wondering if you got a good judge for your Providence RI 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 Providence RI if you have a Social Security Disability/SSI appeal and live in or near Newport, Pawtucket, Providence, Warwick, or Woonsocket. The Providence RI Social Security Hearing office is on Broad Street a half a block away from Johnson and Wales University and about four blocks Southeast of the Rhode Island Convention Center. 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 Providence RI, 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:

Judge

Percent Approved

Total Dispositions

Bernasconi, Laura

49%

286

Dana, Kate

51%

468

Goodale, Paul W

46%

415

Mastrangelo, Jason

43%

420

Szymczak, Stephen M

41%

401

Vanda, Ryan

55%

457

Totals

48%

2447

Social Security Disability Hearing Tip: If your case gets denied by the Administrative Law Judge (“ALJ”) it is called an Unfavorable Decision, in other words the ALJ found you not disabled. If the ALJ finds you disabled, but disagrees with your Alleged Disability Onset date (the date when you claim you became disabled), it is called a Partially Favorable Decision. If the ALJ approves your case, or grants a Fully Favorable, then he or she has found you disabled and will award you all of the back pay you requested (provided you meet all of the non-medical program rules). A Disability Lawyer serving Providence RI, like us, can explain in more detail how the ALJ’s decision impacts your case and how a lawyer can help prepare you for the hearing. Contact us for a free consultation or more information.

Case Approval Rates of Providence RI Social Security Hearing Judges

The national average for case approval rate is 54%, and Providence RI Judges are at 48%. 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 Providence 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 Providence RI Social Security hearings, Administrative Law Judge Stephen Szymczak has the lowest case approval percentage at 41%. This rate is actually not very low and certainly still within reason. Judge Szymczak may just be a little skeptical, and probably does not have a negative attitude towards claimants. Reasonable minds may differ, especially when it comes to Social Security Disability rules and how they apply to individual cases.

We can also see from the table that all of the Judges except one dismiss or deny about half of their cases, so there is a significant chance you will draw one of these judges. If you draw a judge with at or below 50% approval rate then you will need a pretty good 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 or under 50%, 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 for a prolonged period of 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 Providence RI, 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 Providence RI Social Security Hearing office is on the 4th Floor of 33 Broad Street, Providence, RI 02903. 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 Providence RI Social Security hearing office, also known as the Office of Hearing Operations, call (877) 583-4082.

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