Pittsburgh OHO: What You Need to Know

The Office of Hearings Operations also referred to as OHO, is the Social Security office that is responsible for the management of Social Security Disability hearings.

When a claim is denied at the reconsideration level and an appeal is filed, the claim is then transferred to an OHO office.

The area of Pennsylvania that you live in determines which Pennsylvania OHO office processes your disability hearing.

In this blog post, we will discuss the Pittsburgh Office of Hearings  Operations.

The Pittsburgh OHO serves the Social Security field offices in Greensburg, McKeesport, Monroeville, Pittsburgh (Downtown), Pittsburgh (East), Pittsburgh (Mt. Lebanon), Rostraver, and Washington.

The field offices are located in several counties in Western Pennsylvania including Allegheny, Washington, and Westmoreland County.

The Pittsburgh Office of Hearings Operations (Pittsburgh OHO) is located at
1000 Liberty Avenue, Suite 2308, Pittsburgh, PA 15222. Their phone number is (866) 331-2291.

If you have questions or concerns about your Social Security Disability claim, you can visit the SSA’s website here for a list of FAQs.

If you cannot use the SSA’s online services, you can reach an SSA employee by phone. At this time, offices are closed to the public for service.

You can find the phone number for your local Social Security office by using the SSA’s Field Office Locator and look under Additional Office Information.

If you cannot use the online services or reach your local office, you may call Social Security’s national phone number toll-free at 1-800-772-1213.

The Social Security Disability Appeals Process.

You have 60 days from the time you received your “Social Security Notice of Disapproved Claim” in the mail to begin the appeals process.

If you fail to file an appeal within this window, the SSA could close your file and you will need to reapply all over again.

There are a few levels of appeals. Each level of appeal allows you another opportunity to restate your case and provide additional evidence to support your claim.

Once denied benefits from an initial application, PA residents must request a “reconsideration” before they can appeal to an Administrative Law Judge

If you are denied at the reconsideration level, you will then file an appeal for a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge.

The SSA will notify you and your attorney of when and where your hearing will take place. It is important to note that it can take anywhere from several months to one year for this hearing to be held.

The SSA holds disability hearings at the Office of Hearings Operations, also referred to as OHO. A federally appointed Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) will conduct the hearing there.

Success is very possible at this stage because you can appear before the judge and tell him or her about your disability in your own words. Having an experienced attorney on your side will help as well.

Having representation helps win SSD and SSI claims because the regulations that govern the Social Security Administration’s disability programs are so complex. Give yourself the best chance to receive the benefits you deserve and contact an experienced Social Security Disability attorney at Berger and Green today for a free consultation.

Getting Help With Your Social Security Disability Benefits

You should apply for Social Security Disability benefits as soon as possible. If you become disabled and will be unable to work or your disability is life-threatening, do not hesitate to apply. The process of receiving these monthly payments and benefits can take a long time. It is important that you begin the application process early so that you can begin receiving benefits as soon as possible.

If you are considering applying for either SSD or SSI benefits, or have been denied these benefits and need representation, do not delay.  Contact an experienced Social Security Disability Attorney. Call the Social Security Disability attorneys at Berger and Green at 412-661-1400 for a free no-obligation consultation to discuss your claim.