The chart below shows this information:
Stage | Wait Time | Average Win % | |
| 1- Initial Application | 3-6 months | 33% | |
| 2- Reconsideration Appeal | 3-6 months | 12% | |
| 3- Administrative law hearing | 10-12 months | 40-50%, but highly variable, depending on the particular judge | |
| 4- Appeals Council | 12-16 months | Remands (another chance at a hearing) occur 13% of the time; awards (where the Appeals Council outright grants the case) occur 1% of the time; the other 86% of cases are either dismissed or denied | |
| 5- Federal Court | variable | Remands (another chance at a hearing) occur 45% of the time; awards (where the federal court judge outright grants benefits) occur 2% of the time |
Each time the claim is denied through Step 4, then within 60 days an appeal must be filed with your local Social Security office. Also, at Step 3, administrative law hearings are held at a local Office of Disability Adjudication and Review (ODAR). In North Texas, there is one ODAR in Fort Worth, one in downtown Dallas, and one in North Dallas.