Backlogs In Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana

From the Kentucky Post:

Thousands of people in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana are waiting right now for benefits they earned, but can't get. We're talking about Social Security disability benefits, something you pay for in taxes deducted from every paycheck.

The I-Team's Hagit Limor has been looking into a huge backlog that's costing some people their lifelong savings. She found delays of up to four years from the time people apply. They can't work due to their disabilities but are too young for social security, so they need disability pay.

Hagit first reported last year that Uncle Sam hasn't hired enough judges to hear these cases. Since our report, the government's taken some action, but Tri-Staters desperate for help tell us, it's not nearly enough. ...

"It's just a terrible, terrible situation. There has to be fundamental reform if it's going to be fixed," says Jim Allsup. He used to work for Social Security. Then he started a company that handles claims like Stegeman's for a fee. ...

Allsup’s company is not the only one that’s sprouted up to handle these cases. Some lawyers are becoming specialists too. It's like hiring a CPA to do your taxes. People are giving up a part of what they earned so someone else handles the bureaucracy, hopefully faster.