Social Security disability appeal timeline for young adult with no work history - how long to wait?

SSI appeals for young adults follow the same timeline as everyone else. The reconsideration stage typically takes 3-5 months, and if denied again, the hearing before an Administrative Law Judge could take 12-18 months depending on your location. California hearing offices can have longer backlogs. The fact that your son has never worked isn't relevant to the timeline, but it IS relevant to the type of benefit. Since he hasn't worked enough to earn work credits, SSI (needs-based) is indeed the correct program rather than SSDI (work-credit based). Make sure you're regularly submitting any new medical evidence as it comes in rather than waiting for them to ask. This can sometimes speed things up slightly.

my cousin waited almost THREE YEARS for his disability!!! and he was born with his condition!!!! the system is TOTALLY BROKEN and they deny almost everyone the first time. its like they WANT people to give up!!!

The wait times do vary based on your local SSA office's backlog, but there are a few things that might help in your son's case: 1. Look into whether his conditions qualify for Compassionate Allowance or TERI (Terminal Illness) case designation for expedited processing 2. Contact your Congressional Representative's office - they can sometimes help move cases along 3. Make sure all medical records clearly connect his diagnoses to specific functional limitations 4. Consider getting a functional capacity evaluation if you haven't already In my experience as an advocate, young applicants with rare conditions like EDS often face additional scrutiny because these conditions can be less understood by examiners. Having documentation from specialists who explicitly state how his conditions prevent work activities is crucial.

When my daughter was in a similar situation (19, chronic conditions, never worked), I spent WEEKS trying to get through to SSA by phone to check on her appeal status. Always busy signals or disconnects after waiting for hours. I finally used Claimyr.com to get through - it got me connected to an actual SSA representative in under 10 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU The representative was able to tell me exactly where we were in the process and what to expect next. Saved me so much stress during an already stressful time. Much better than wondering if anything was happening with her case.

my kids friend got approved in 4 months but he had cancer so maybe thats why it was faster?? i think it depends on if they need to get more medical records or if they think your son can do some kind of work. does he have a lawyer?? my neighbor said always get a lawyer

To answer your question about expediting the process - yes, there are a few options: 1. Dire Need: If your son is at risk of becoming homeless or has no access to necessary medical care due to financial hardship, you can submit a Dire Need request. 2. Have your doctor specifically document why his conditions meet SSA's definition of disability, addressing each functional area. 3. Be responsive to any requests for additional information immediately. Regarding lawyers - most disability attorneys work on contingency and don't charge unless you win. While not always necessary at reconsideration, having one earlier can ensure you're building the right kind of record. They can also spot issues that might lead to technical denials before they happen.

It took my nephew 2 yrs from first application to finally getting approved. He was denied twice b4 getting a hearing. His hearing got canceled and rescheduled 3 times!!!! It's exhausting. Make sure your keeping all paperwork organized and get a big binder for everything. And write down EVERY phone call with who u talked to and when. The system is a mess and they lose stuff all the time...

One important thing to mention regarding EDS and related conditions - these can be tricky cases because symptoms can vary in severity day to day. Make sure your son's medical records capture this variability rather than just how he presents on "good days." A symptom diary documenting day-to-day limitations can be extremely helpful evidence. Have him track things like: - Pain levels throughout the day - Activities attempted and whether he could complete them - Hours spent resting/recovering after activities - Medication side effects - Episodes of dizziness, fatigue, joint dislocations, etc. This kind of documentation can be powerful when combined with medical records, especially for conditions with invisible symptoms that might not be obvious during brief medical appointments.

A simple journal is fine, but I recommend creating a consistent format that includes: 1. Date and time 2. Symptom/limitation description 3. Severity rating (1-10) 4. Duration 5. What helped (if anything) 6. What activities were impacted This format makes it easier for SSA to connect symptoms to specific functional limitations that would prevent work. For example, instead of just "I was dizzy today," entries like "Severe dizziness (8/10) when standing for more than 5 minutes; had to lie down for 2 hours afterward; couldn't prepare meals or shower" provide the functional details SSA needs. Also, make sure your son is seeing his doctors regularly throughout this process. Gaps in treatment can be used against your case, even when those gaps occur because he's too ill to get to appointments.