The average time to process initial Social Security disability claims is increasing by 20 percent this year ... according to Allsup, which represents tens of thousands of people in the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) application and hearing process each year. ...Actually, what this shows is that Allsup only takes on what it thinks are gold-plated, cannot lose cases. If you take on only this type of case, it does not matter quite as much that the person representing the claimant meets the claimant for the first time on the day of the hearing.
"Those who apply for benefits with Allsup's expert assistance may be more likely to bypass the long wait and get their SSDI benefits even earlier," Mr. Stein said. "Typically, 54 percent of those who use Allsup will be approved at the application level, but only 35 percent will be approved if they go it alone." ...
About 70 percent of Allsup customers do not have to attend a hearing because Allsup requests an on-the-record decision and presents the judge with a well-developed claim file prior to a hearing.
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Jun 26, 2009
Not Proving What You Think
From a press release issued by Allsup:
Once again Charles you are incorrect. Allsup takes on all types of cases. Referrals come in from a variety of sources. It's their expertise and procedures that allow them to reduce processing times as well as keep claimants from needlessly appearing at hearings. Do your homework before you speak.
ReplyDeleteDear Greg:
ReplyDeleteIf the Allsup press release means a 70% OTR success rate for every request for a hearing filed, then this is a rather startling claim of success. Your report that this results from "expertise and procedures" doesn't reduce the level of startlement. I rather suspect that most people, whether insiders or outsiders, are going to have a Missouri problem with the Allsup claim of a 70% OTR success rate. This "show me" problem is going to be hard to resolve by piling a claim of efficiency on top of a claim of success.
But actually, the much more moderate claim of 54% success "at the application level" stands in the way of joining CTH in his suspicions. And I'm wondering whether that 70% claim, presented as for "Allsup customers," might actually be the total of those successes at the initial level and reconsideration levels added to that part of the Allsup success that comes from OTR requests.
JOA
Be wary, be very wary of any outfit who sends out press releases telling you how great they are. Obviously they have a marketing wing whose job it is to spend the day sending out these puff pieces. Drill down a bit and the reality may not be so startling.
ReplyDeleteThis is supposed to be bad, as opposed to lawyers who take frivolous cases that have no merit?
ReplyDelete