According to the CDC, 21% of New York state’s population has a disability. Most have mobility-related and mental disabilities, which affect their ability to work and earn. Others have independent living, hearing, vision, and self-care issues.
Disabled New Yorkers are more likely than their healthy counterparts to be obese and twice likely to have heart disease and diabetes.
These individuals have access to Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security (SS) Income. However, New York State has some differences in the appeals process and approval rates.
This post discusses everything you need to know about Social Security local to New York. Read on to learn more.
How Do I Qualify for Social Security Benefits in New York?
New Yorkers with a disability must meet the following federal disability criteria to qualify for SSDI benefits:
- You must have been employed long enough to pay into the Social Security system.
- You cannot reasonably change your line of work. If you are still working, your employer must make reasonable accommodations to assist you in performing your job.
- Your medical condition should limit your ability to work for 12 months or more. The condition can be either a physical, intellectual, or developmental disability.
- Your condition must be classified as “severe” by the SSA. The SSA has a comprehensive list of all acceptable conditions. Consider looking at it to ensure your disability is included, or your application will be denied.
Remember that meeting the criteria is no guarantee of disability insurance coverage. Your application will be sent to the Division of Disability Determinations for review.
How Do I Apply for Social Security Benefits in New York?
You can file for Social Security Disability benefits by visiting a local field office, calling Social Security customer care, or online through the SSA website.
Local field office- The SSA has 126 field offices in the New York region. Use the New York Social Security field office locator to find one near you.
Calling Social Security- You may contact Social Security during working hours at 800-772-121. If you are deaf or hearing impaired, you may call 800-325-0778 to speak to a representative or schedule an appointment to file a disability.
Applying online- You can simply file for SSDI by completing the entire application online at www.ssa.gov/benefits/disability.
Remember, it will speed up the process if you gather all relevant information and documents before you send your application. Be ready to share personal information about your marriage or divorce records and details about any minor children.
You must also have records of your employment information, your New York Social Security number, and medical history.
What Happens After I Apply for Social Security Benefits in New York?
Once you send your application, the SSA will forward it to the New York’s Division of Disability Determinations office. This is the office responsible for conducting disability determinations for the entire state.
A disability analyst from the DDS will review your disability application and any documentation submitted. They may ask for additional documents if needed.
The disability analyst will also schedule your medical examination. The doctor conducting this exam is usually not part of the SSA. The doctor, in turn, will provide a detailed report of your medical condition and how it affects your ability to work.
Once done reviewing the information, the claims examiner will decide whether you are disabled or not. If they ascertain your disability, you will be approved for benefits and receive mail notification.
If you are denied benefits, you will receive a mail notification explaining the reason for the denial and what you can do if you disagree with the decision.
Usually, you can file an appeal if you disagree with the decision. The appeals process is challenging, so consider speaking with an experienced New York SSD attorney before proceeding.
Appealing a Denial for Social Security Benefits in New York
New York has a 37% initial approval rating, which means about 63% of first-time applicants are denied. This can happen either because you did not meet the federal eligibility criteria or did not provide enough evidence to support your claim.
Generally, there are four levels of appeals, but New York allows applicants to skip the first step and proceed to the disability hearing.
Reconsideration- This is the first step of appeals, but it is unnecessary for individuals seeking New York Social Services. If you wish to appeal your denial, go straight to the second step.
Disability hearing- The first step for disability applicants in New York is to request a hearing before an administrative law judge. You must make this request within 60 days of your denial, and the hearing will be scheduled at the SSA Hearing Office near you.
You may be required to bring additional documents regarding your disability. Most people hire a disability lawyer during this stage to increase their odds of approval.
Appeals council- If the ALJ denied your disability claim, you could request another review from the Social Security Appeals Council. The Appeals Council judge will check for errors, then either uphold the previous ruling or make a new determination.
Federal court- The last option is to file a lawsuit at the district federal court. New York has four district federal courts representing the Northern, Southern, Eastern, and Western districts.
New York SSDI Hearing Wait Times & Average Approval Rate
The New York Social Security Administration approves only 37% of applicants for benefits during the initial application stage. The rest have to appeal their cases to be considered for benefits.
At the disability hearing in New York, ALJs approve 58% of cases compared to the 51% national average.
Similarly, New York has a lower wait time than other states. The average wait time for a disability hearing in New York is nine months compared to the national average of 15 months.
Overall, New Yorkers stand a better chance of getting approved for disability benefits than other Americans.
But it is good to have a qualified Social Disability lawyer representing you to better your chances of being approved for benefits.
How Do I Contact the New York Social Security Office Near Me?
As mentioned earlier, there are 126 Social Security field offices in New York. The table below contains the address of each office and the contact information.
Depending on where you stay, call your relevant New York Social Security office for help with your SSDI application.
Field Office | Physical Address | Phone Number |
| NY Midtown SSA Office | 237 W 48Th Street 5th Floor New York, NY 10036 | (866) 964-0783 |
| Syracuse SSA Office | 100 S Clinton St Fed Bldg 4th Floor Syracuse, NY 13261 | (866) 755-4884 |
| Albany SSA Office | 11 A Clinton Ave Rm 430 Federal Bldg Albany, NY 12207 | (866) 253-9183 |
| Buffalo SSA Office | 186 Exchange Street Suite 100 Buffalo, NY 14204 | (855) 881-0213 |
| Binghamton SSA Office | 2 Court Street Suite 300 Binghamton, NY 13901 | (866) 964-3971 |
| Schenectady SSA Office | One Broadway Center 8th Floor Schenectady, NY 12305 | (866) 964-1296 |
| Boro Hall SSA Office | 195 Montague St 7Th Floor Brooklyn, NY 11201 | (877) 531-4725 |
| Rochester SSA Office | 2nd Floor 200 E. Main St Rochester, NY 14604 | (866) 964-2045 |
| NY Downtown SSA Office | 123 William St 4th Floor New York, NY 10038 | (866) 335-1089 |
| Utica SSA Office | 10 Broad Street Federal Building Utica, NY 13501 | (877) 405-6750 |
| Jamestown SSA Office | 321 Hazeltine Ave Jamestown, NY 14701 | (877) 319-3079 |
| South Bronx SSA Office | West, 3rd Fl 820 Concourse Village Bronx, NY 10451 | (855) 531-1684 |
| Yonkers SSA Office | 20 South Broadway Ste 1000 Yonkers, NY 10701 | (866) 331-6404 |
| Horseheads SSA Office | Suite 19 3345 Chambers Rd Horseheads, NY 14845 | (866) 964-1715 |
| Niagara Falls SSA Office | 6540 Niagara Falls Bvd Niagara Falls, NY 14304 | (877) 480-4992 |
| Ogdensburg SSA Office | 101 Ford Street Ogdensburg, NY 13669 | (866) 572-8369 |
| NY Uptown SSA Office | 4th Floor 302 West 126th Street New York, NY 10027 | (866) 964-1301 |
| Newburgh SSA Office | 3 Washington Center Suite 301 Newburgh, NY 12550 | (866) 504-4801 |
| Rego Park SSA Office | 6344 Austin Street Rego Park, NY 11374 | (877) 255-1506 |
| Jamaica SSA Office | 155-10 Jamaica Ave 3rd Fl District Office Jamaica, NY 11432 | (866) 592-0802 |
| Staten Island SSA Office | 2391 Richmond Avenue Staten Island, NY 10314 | (866) 331-5288 |
| Gloversville SSA Office | 13 N Arlington Ave Gloversville, NY 12078 | (888) 528-9446 |
| Oswego SSA Office | 17 Fourth Ave Oswego, NY 13126 | (866) 964-7593 |
| Plattsburgh SSA Office | 14 Durkee St Suite 230 Plattsburgh, NY 12901 | (866) 964-7430 |
| Queensbury SSA Office | 17 Cronin Rd Suite 1 Queensbury, NY 12804 | (877) 405-4875 |
| Brooklyn Flatbush SSA Office | 2250 Nostrand Ave Brooklyn, NY 11210 | (866) 563-9461 |
| New Rochelle SSA Office | 85 Harrison St Street Level New Rochelle, NY 10801 | (855) 210-1026 |
| Watertown SSA Office | 156 Bellew Ave South Watertown, NY 13601 | (866) 627-6995 |
| Troy SSA Office | 500 Federal St Suite 101 Troy, NY 12180 | (866) 770-2662 |
| North Bronx SSA Office | 2501 Grand Concourse 2nd Floor Bronx, NY 10468 | (877) 619-2852 |
| Poughkeepsie SSA Office | 332 Main St Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 | (877) 405-6747 |
| Inwood Hill SSA Office | 4941 Broadway New York, NY 10034 | (877) 445-0838 |
| Brooklyn Bushwick SSA Office | 785 Flushing Ave Third Floor Brooklyn, NY 11206 | (888) 327-1276 |
| Patchogue SSA Office | 75 Oak Street Patchogue, NY 11772 | (866) 771-1991 |
| Brooklyn New Utrecht | 7714 17 Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11214 | (866) 585-9320 |
| Mineola SSA Office | 211 Station Rd 5Th Floor Mineola, NY 11501 | (866) 758-1318 |
| Cypress Hills | 3386 Fulton Street Brooklyn, NY 11208 | (866) 613-2767 |
| Corning SSA Office | 200 Nasser Civic Ctr Corning, NY 14830 | (866) 591-3665 |
| Geneva SSA Office | 15 Lewis St Geneva, NY 14456 | (866) 331-7759 |
| Olean SSA Office | 1618 W State St Olean, NY 14760 | (877) 319-5773 |
| Batavia SSA Office | 571 East Main Street Batavia, NY 14020 | (866) 931-7103 |
| Melville SSA Office | 1121 Walt Whitman Rd Suite 201 Melville, NY 11747 | (866) 964-0165 |
| Oneonta SSA Office | 31 Main St Suite 1 Oneonta, NY 13820 | (877) 628-6581 |
| East Bronx SSA Office | 1380 Parker Street 2nd Floor Bronx, NY 10462 | (866) 931-2526 |
| White Plains SSA Office | 297 Knollwood Rd Suite 4A White Plains, NY 10607 | (866) 331-8134 |
| West Nyack SSA Office | 240 West Nyack Road West Nyack, NY 10994 | (866) 755-4334 |
| Flushing SSA Office | 138-50 Barclay Ave Flushing, NY 11355 | (877) 457-1735 |
| Freeport SSA Office | 84 N. Main Street Freeport, NY 11520 | (866) 964-0028 |
| Ithaca SSA Office | 127 W State Street 2nd Floor Ithaca, NY 14850 | (866) 706-8289 |
| Hudson SSA Office | 747 Warren Street Hudson, NY 12534 | (877) 828-1691 |
| Monticello SSA Office | 60 Jefferson St Suite 4 Monticello, NY 12701 | (855) 794-4728 |
| NY East Harlem SSA Office | 4th Floor 345 E 102 Street New York, NY 10029 | (877) 445-0836 |
| Bronx Hunts Point SSA Office | 1029 E 163rd Street 3rd Floor Bronx, NY 10459 | (866) 220-9777 |
| Bedford Heights SSA Office | 1540 Fulton Street Brooklyn, NY 11216 | (866) 592-4845 |
| Rockaway Park SSA Office | 11306 Rockaway Bch Blvd Rockaway Park, NY 11694 | (866) 331-2310 |
| Riverhead SSA Office | 526 East Main Street Riverhead, NY 11901 | (888) 397-9819 |
| Laconia Avenue | 3247 Laconia Ave Bronx, NY 10469 | (866) 347-0054 |
| Peekskill SSA Office | One Park Place 3rd Floor Peekskill, NY 10566 | (877) 840-5778 |
| East Village | 650 East 12th St New York, NY 10009 | (877) 405-1447 |
| Ridge Road SSA Office | 1900 Ridge Rd Suite 120 West Seneca, NY 14224 | (800) 647-9195 |
| West Babylon SSA Office | 510 Park Avenue West Babylon, NY 11704 | (866) 964-7375 |
| Long Island City | 31-08 37Th Avenue Ground Floor Long Island City, NY 11101 | (866) 837-1096 |
| Dunkirk SSA Office | 437 Main St Suite 2 Dunkirk, NY 14048 | (888) 862-2139 |
| West Farms SSA Office | 1829 Southern Blvd Bronx, NY 10460 | (866) 964-2558 |
| Canarsie SSA Office | 1871 Rockaway Parkway Brooklyn, NY 11236 | (866) 667-7342 |
| Hylan Blvd SSA Office | 1510 Hylan Blvd 2nd Floor Staten Island, NY 10305 | (877) 457-1736 |
| Greece SSA Office | 4050 W Ridge Rd 2nd Floor Rochester, NY 14626 | (866) 331-2204 |
Get Legal Help Applying for Social Security Benefits in New York
The disability application and appeals process can be draining and time-consuming. If you wish to apply for SSDI in New York, you may consider engaging a Social Security Disability lawyer.
An experienced SSD attorney can guide you through the application process and increase your chances of getting approved.
At Legal Giant, we understand how much you need the benefits. Our legal team understands what it takes to get results and will work tirelessly to ensure a successful claim.
Contact us today for a free consultation and review of your case.
