Direct answer
What are SSDI appeal success rates?
SSDI approval rates vary by stage, and the ALJ hearing is historically the stage where the highest share of appealed claims are approved — the Social Security Administration publishes updated figures each year in its Annual Statistical Report.
Rather than a single number, look at where wins concentrate: the ALJ hearing is where most reversible denials are reversed, largely because that is where evidence and testimony can be presented.
Sourced from ssa.gov — see citations below.
Where wins concentrate
Reconsideration reversals are the smallest share of appeal wins — the same state agency that denied the initial claim reviews the same file. The ALJ hearing is where most winnable appealed claims are won, because it is the first step where live testimony and updated evidence carry weight.
Why current numbers change
Approval percentages fluctuate with policy, backlog, and case mix. The SSA publishes updated data annually in its Annual Statistical Report on the SSDI Program.
What raises your odds at hearing
Updated records since the initial file, a treating-source function statement, a written brief tied to a specific listing or Grid Rule, and preparation for Vocational Expert questioning.
Topics
Sources
Every figure and rule on this page is drawn from official SSA publications. Verify at the links below.
- SSA — Annual Statistical Report on the SSDI Program (ssa.gov)
- SSA — The Appeals Process (ssa.gov)
- SSA — Hearing Process (ssa.gov)