How the Appeals Council Evaluates Your Denied Social Security Disability Claim
You received a denial from an Administrative Law Judge. You have sixty days to request a review from the Appeals Council. Jenkins Block & Associates handles this exact stage of the disability process for claimants across the Mid-Atlantic. We built our practice in 1977 to fight institutional bureaucracies and secure maximum benefits for our clients.
The Appeals Council Searches for Legal Errors Made by the Administrative Law Judge.
The council does not conduct a new hearing or interview new witnesses. Administrative reviewers evaluate the written decision to determine if the judge applied the law incorrectly, ignored critical medical evidence, or abused their discretion. Judges make mistakes. We read the hearing transcript to pinpoint exactly where the judge deviated from established Social Security regulations. When we identify a specific legal error, we force the council to remand the case back to the judge for a new hearing.
Strategic Co-Location Reduces Litigation Friction During the Review Process.
Our attorneys operate out of offices located directly within the same complexes as the Office of Hearings Operations in Baltimore, Cambridge, and Richmond. We use this physical proximity to eliminate the delays and communication breakdowns that plague standard claims, an approach we define as proximity-driven litigation. Our team navigates local administrative nuances with precision because we work in the same buildings as the decision-makers. You save time, and the council receives exactly what they need without bureaucratic drag.
Full Cycle Representation Pushes Your Claim Through the Federal Appellate System
If the Appeals Council denies your claim, you can file a civil action in Federal District Court. Many firms drop cases after an initial denial because appellate work requires specialized resources. Jenkins Block & Associates provides full cycle representation, meaning we litigate your claim from the initial application all the way to the federal level. Managing Partner Bruce D. Block and our staff of over thirty legal experts maintain federal appellate authority to challenge the Social Security Administration at the highest levels. We have handled over 47,000 Social Security Disability cases. Through this volume, we anticipate how the council will react to specific legal arguments.
New Medical Evidence Must Meet the Strict Material Threshold for Inclusion
Claimants often want to submit updated medical records to the council to prove their disability. The council only accepts new evidence if it relates strictly to the period on or before the date of the hearing decision. You must prove this evidence is new, material, and that you have a good cause for submitting it late. We gather these specialized records for complex neurological and orthopedic conditions, including Guillain-Barre, RSD, and PTSD. If you fail to meet the materiality threshold, the council will ignore your new evidence entirely.
Securing Representation Before the Sixty-Day Deadline Protects Your Financial Future
If you miss the sixty-day window, you must start a new disability application from scratch. When you start over, you lose your back pay and disrupt how you manage benefit offsets between Workers’ Compensation and SSDI. You need to act immediately after receiving an unfavorable decision. Contact Jenkins Block & Associates to evaluate your denial. We review the details, build the appellate argument, and file the request for review so you can continue your fight for the benefits you deserve.
