While each case is different, below are the current statistics published by the Social Security Administration per judge in Massachusetts and other neighboring states. While these percentages seem low, remember that many cases are dismissed if a claimant does not show up or abandoned their case. These abandoned files bring the percentages very low.
In addition, your chances of success are much higher with an attorney representing you. The percentages below also include claimants who are unrepresented and had no legal counsel at the time of their hearing, another surefire way to reduce award levels.
Massachusetts
Boston Hearing Office – ALJs who handle disability cases:
| ALJ | Approval Rate |
| Camp, Noran J. | 53.91% |
| Driscoll, Daniel J. | 35.38% |
| Fulton, Stephen C. | 36.40% |
| Hogan, Henry J. | 34.94% |
| Hurley, Francis | 49.05% |
| Kelly, Robert J. | 57.09% |
| Kilbaner, Alexander | 40.06% |
| Morgan, Aaron M. | 4.00% |
| Packer, James H. | 50.32% |
| Ramsey, William | 40.68% |
| Rodgers, Sujata | 29.80% |
| Ross, William T. | 45.94% |
| Sax, Carol A. | 63.36% |
| Teehan, Sean | 22.43% |
Lawrence/Lowell Hearing Office – ALJs who handle disability cases:
| ALJ | Approval Rate |
| Baird, Jonathan | 67.37% |
| Belford, Timothy | 47.10% |
| Benson, John | 25.71% |
| Bush, Ellen P. | 33.63% |
| Curley, Brian | 41.23% |
| Dziepak, Anthony | 50.00% |
| Eklund, Eric | 45.81% |
| French, Patricia M. | 28.86% |
Springfield Hearing Office – ALJs who handle disability cases:
| ALJ | Approval Rate |
| Breton, Michael P. | 40.53% |
| Griswold, Kim K. | 24.67% |
| Holbrook, Todd S. | 19.70% |
| Martinelli, Peter J. | 28.65% |
| Masengelli, Addison C. | 45.06% |
| Morgan, Aaron M. | 0.00% |
| Stofolo, Judith M. | 53.25% |
Furthermore, in terms of approval rates for the different stages of applications, Massachusetts has a higher approval rate in comparison to the national approval rate. The approval rates are as follows:
| Stage of Application | Massachusetts | National |
| Initial Application | 41% approved | 35% approved |
| Reconsideration Review | 19% approved | 13% approved |
| Appeal Hearing | 55% approved | 45% approved |
| Hearing Wait Time | 14 months | 18 months |
New Hampshire
Manchester Hearing Office ALJs
| ALJ | Approval Rate |
| Groeneveld-Meijer, Lisa | 43.67% |
| LaChance, Tracy | 57.70% |
| Levin, Mathew G. | 29.43% |
| Malfa, Mathew | 70.78% |
| Malvey, Edward | 40.58% |
| Martin, Paul G. | 38.11% |
| Menard, Joshua | 32.71% |
| Merrill, Thomas | 18.78% |
| Sutker, Dory | 41.63% |
Manchester Hearing Office
| Hearing Office | Approval Rate | Processing Time in Days |
| Manchester | 68.80% | 321 |
Rhode Island
Providence Hearing Office
| Hearing Office | Approval Rate | Processing Time in Days |
| Providence | 39% | 371 |
Providence Hearing Office ALJs
| ALJs | Approval Rate |
| Best, Barry H. | 35.63% |
| Bower, Martha | 25.74% |
| Garrian, Tanya J. | 40.18% |
| Goodale, Paul W. | 33.87% |
| Mastrangelo, Jason | 28.02% |
| McGinn, V. Paul | 58.41% |
| Morgan, Aaron M. | 2.00% |
| Resnick, Gerald | 34.38% |
