Million Dollar Advocates Forum member (2018) · Clio Legal Impact Award (2021)
Denied, or not sure where to start? Social Security turns down most disability claims the first time, and the reason is usually fixable — the medical record does not yet answer the question the agency is actually asking.
Across claims filed from 2014 through 2023, only 18 to 21 percent of disabled-worker applicants were approved at the initial level, and 68 percent of claims were ultimately denied. Source: Social Security Administration, Annual Statistical Report on the Disability Insurance Program, 2024, Chart 11
Appealing is what changes the outcome: the final award rate across those same years averaged 29 percent. There is no cost to talk to us, and a representative’s fee has to be approved by Social Security.
At Pinder Plotkin, the initial consultation is free, whether by phone or in person. You have the right to an attorney, and we work on a contingency basis — you do not pay attorney fees up front while dealing with medical bills and lost wages, and our fee comes only after you win.
Social Security Disability is available for individuals who are unable to work because of a disability. The Social Security Administration (SSA) administers two different Social Security Disability programs. Each program has different requirements and pays different amounts. One of our Maryland Disability attorneys can help you complete the application for benefits to determine which program you may qualify for to receive benefits.
For a free case review, contact us to speak with one of our esteemed personal injury lawyers in Maryland at Pinder Plotkin.
The Pinder Plotkin Legal Team helps Maryland clients apply for SSDI and SSI, fix denied claims, and prepare for hearings before a judge, on a contingency fee: you pay nothing unless we win.
Social Security runs every disability claim through the same five-step sequence, in order. Knowing which step your claim died at tells you what the appeal has to fix.
20 CFR § 404.1520(a)(4)
Across claims filed from 2014 through 2023, only 18 to 21 percent of disabled-worker applicants were approved at the initial level. 68 percent of claims were ultimately denied.
Appealing is what moves the needle: an average of 2 percent of applicants were approved at reconsideration and 7 percent at the hearing level, taking the final award rate to an average of 29 percent.SSA, Annual Statistical Report on the DI Program, 2024, Chart 11
Those hearing and reconsideration figures are shares of all applicants, not of the people who reach that stage.
As of July 2026, Social Security was averaging 186 days to decide an initial disability claim and 275 days to issue a hearing decision, with roughly 362,000 hearings pending nationally.SSA performance data, July 2026
Baltimore hosts the only Social Security hearing offices serving Maryland claimants. As of June 2026 the average wait for a hearing to be held there was 10.0 months, average case processing time was 291 days, and 3,451 cases were pending.SSA Office of Hearings Operations public data files
Your initial medical decision is not made by Social Security. It is made by Maryland Disability Determination Services, part of the state Division of Rehabilitation Services.
Figures published by the Social Security Administration for 2026. SGA, SSI and benefit amounts change annually; hearing wait times are updated monthly.
If you also have a workers’ compensation claim, the two interact. Where someone receives workers’ compensation and SSDI at the same time, the combined benefits generally cannot exceed 80 percent of average current earnings before the disability began.20 CFR § 404.408; Social Security Act § 224
Maryland is not a reverse-offset state. Some states reduce the workers’ compensation benefit instead; Maryland does not appear on Social Security’s list of those states, so the reduction lands on the Social Security benefit. How a comp settlement is worded can change how that offset is calculated, which is a good reason to have both claims looked at together.
What representation costs. Under a fee agreement, a representative’s fee is capped at the lesser of 25 percent of your past-due benefits or $9,200, and Social Security has to approve it.SSA fee agreement process, cap effective 30 November 2024
You are "disabled" to Social Security only if a medical condition stops you from doing substantial work and is expected to last at least 12 months or end in death. You don't have to be totally disabled — but in 2026, earning more than $1,690 a month ($2,830 if you're blind) usually counts as substantial work and disqualifies you.
To be considered disabled, you must have a medically determinable mental or physical impairment that is expected to be fatal or last more than 12 months, and that prevents you from engaging in a substantial gainful activity (SGA).
SSDI is for people who worked and paid into Social Security long enough; SSI is need-based for people with little income and few assets. SSDI generally takes 40 work credits (20 earned in the last 10 years); SSI limits you to under $2,000 in assets ($3,000 for a couple). Some people qualify for both.
SSI or Supplemental Security Income is for low-income individuals who have not worked enough hours to qualify for SSDI. SSDI or Social Security Disability Insurance is available to workers who become disabled and have earned enough work credits, based on your age and work history.
You can apply online, by phone, or in person — but most first-time claims are denied, often for avoidable paperwork mistakes. A Maryland disability attorney can help you file correctly the first time and appeal within 60 days if you're turned down.
A Maryland Social Security Disability attorney can help you complete your application and avoid some of the common mistakes that result in a denial of disability benefits, and can also help you appeal a denial.
Social Security keeps a "Blue Book" of impairments across 14 body systems. If your condition matches a listing — or limits you as severely as one — you can qualify. Common qualifying categories include:
A condition that isn't on the list can still qualify if it limits you as much as a listed one does.
If a workplace injury keeps you from working long-term, you may qualify for both Maryland workers' compensation and SSDI at the same time — they're separate systems. But there's a catch: an offset rule caps your combined workers' comp and SSDI at 80% of your average current earnings before you got hurt, and Social Security reduces your SSDI to stay under that cap.
How your workers' comp settlement is written — a lump sum versus benefits spread over your lifetime — can change how much of that offset applies. That's why it's worth talking to us before you settle your comp case. Our workers' compensation attorney, Marc Hassan, handles that side in-house, so both claims work together instead of against each other.
Most first-time disability claims are denied — roughly 62–65% nationally — so a denial doesn't mean your case is weak. You have 60 days from the denial to appeal, and there are four levels:
A fresh review by SSA. Most are denied again, but it's a required step.
Your best odds — roughly half of hearings end in approval. We present medical evidence and vocational testimony.
Reviews the judge's decision for legal error.
A lawsuit in U.S. District Court if the Appeals Council denies.
Maryland hearings run through SSA’s Baltimore hearing office, the only Office of Hearings Operations located in the state. Deadlines are strict — missing the 60 days can force you to start over, so call us as soon as you get a denial.
Why Do Disability Claims Get Denied the First Time?
TV Interview
Jason's Story
Jason Maryland TV Interview
Three Maryland offices — Baltimore (Nottingham), Laurel and Bel Air — and we travel statewide to meet clients who cannot travel to us. Call (888) 844-5373 to schedule a visit.
We handle disability cases throughout Maryland.
We take cases anywhere in Maryland — all 23 counties and Baltimore City. Each name links to that jurisdiction's official local government website.
Source: MDOT Zero Deaths Maryland jurisdiction crash data summaries, 2023. Statewide totals: 577 fatal crashes and 621 traffic deaths.
Initial decisions usually take about six months. If you're denied and appeal to a hearing, the full process can run a year or more. We push to keep your file complete so it moves as fast as possible.
You can apply yourself, but most first-time claims are denied, and the odds improve at the hearing level. We handle the paperwork, gather the right medical evidence, and represent you before the judge.
Limited work is allowed, but earning over the monthly substantial gainful activity limit (about $1,690 in 2026) usually disqualifies you. We'll tell you where the line is for your situation.
SSDI is based on your work history. SSI is need-based for people with limited income and assets. Some people qualify for both.
Most claims are. Social Security’s own figures show only 18 to 21 percent of disabled-worker applicants approved at the initial level for claims filed from 2014 through 2023, with 68 percent ultimately denied. A denial is usually not a judgment that you are fine — it means the file did not yet answer the five-step question the agency asks, most often at step four or five, about what work you can still do. That is what an appeal is for.
As of July 2026 Social Security was averaging 186 days to decide an initial claim and 275 days to issue a hearing decision nationally. Baltimore hosts the only Social Security hearing offices serving Maryland claimants; as of June 2026 the average wait for a hearing to be held there was 10.0 months, with 3,451 cases pending. Those figures are updated monthly and move.
You can receive both, but they interact. Where someone gets workers’ compensation and SSDI together, the combined benefits generally cannot exceed 80 percent of average current earnings before the disability began, under 20 CFR § 404.408. Maryland is not a reverse-offset state, so the reduction is applied to the Social Security benefit rather than the comp award. How a comp settlement is worded can change how that offset is calculated, which is why both claims should be looked at together.
Under a fee agreement, a representative’s fee is capped at the lesser of 25 percent of your past-due benefits or $9,200, and Social Security has to approve it before it is paid. That cap has been $9,200 since 30 November 2024. There is no fee for the initial conversation.
These guides were created to help you protect your health, avoid costly mistakes, and understand your rights after an accident.
Jason Plotkin was born and raised here, and he has lived in six Maryland jurisdictions — Baltimore City, Baltimore County, Montgomery County, Howard County, Allegany County and Worcester County. Mountains to shore. That is not a marketing line; it is where he has actually lived.
Marc Hassan, Tony Balasamo and Joshua Fannon were born and raised in Maryland too, and Christian Miele served in the Maryland House of Delegates. When you work with our firm, you are working with people who know this state — its roads, its courts and its neighbors.
Whether you're applying for the first time or fighting a denial, we'll tell you honestly where your claim stands. Call (888) 844-5373 for a free consultation with the Pinder Plotkin Legal Team.
Call (888) 844-5373
