Address, phone & hours
Your local SSA service center
As your local Social Security service center, L.A. Westwood manages a monthly payout of $180 million to the local community. While the office serves 85,050 beneficiaries, the catchment area is primarily retirement-focused, with 91% of beneficiaries aged 65 or older. Only 4% of the total caseload consists of disabled-worker beneficiaries. This means staff are often balancing high-volume retirement claims alongside your specific disability application needs.
You can visit L.A. Westwood to file initial SSDI applications, drop off medical evidence, verify your identity, or update your direct deposit information. Remember that this office does not make the final decision on your disability claim, as that responsibility lies with the state DDS. Furthermore, any future hearings regarding your case will be held at a separate office location. We recommend scheduling an appointment in advance to ensure a representative is available to assist you.
Who this office serves
Beneficiaries in this service area receive an estimated $180,362k in Social Security benefits each month.
Before you visit
When you arrive at L.A. Westwood, bring a government-issued photo ID and a detailed work history covering the last 15 years. You should also provide a comprehensive list of your treating physicians with their contact information, recent medical records, and a current list of all medications. Be prepared for an interview with a claims representative. Having these documents organized beforehand helps the staff process your request more efficiently.
You may experience delays by submitting incomplete work histories or failing to include contact information for all recent medical providers. Another frequent error is omitting information about mental health conditions, which are just as relevant as physical impairments for your claim. Avoid signing any forms until you have read them thoroughly to ensure all information is accurate. Providing incomplete or inconsistent data often leads to follow-up requests that can stall your application for weeks.
Working while you apply? Check how much you can earn on SSDI this year — SSA's earnings limit is the first thing it looks at.
Was your claim denied? Decode the letter — what the sentence means, what to file, and by when.
Should you bring an attorney?
The initial application stage is the foundation of your entire disability claim. Most applicants who go through this process without legal guidance find themselves facing denials that are difficult to overturn later. An attorney can help you gather the right evidence and present your case clearly from the start. Request a free case review today to understand how to strengthen your application before you submit it.
Approval rates change with a lawyer
Source: U.S. Government Accountability Office, GAO-18-37. The 3× gap is a population-wide average across all judges; individual outcomes vary.
If your SSDI claim moves to a hearing
About two-thirds of initial SSDI applications nationwide are denied. If yours is, your case moves to a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge at one of the regional hearing offices that handles appeals from L.A. Westwood. The L.A. Westwood field office holds your file at every appeal stage, but the substantive decisions happen further up the chain.
Frequently asked questions
While you can visit L.A. Westwood, we strongly recommend scheduling an appointment in advance to ensure a representative is available to assist you. Walk-ins are accepted, but wait times can be unpredictable given the high volume of beneficiaries served by this location.
Yes, you can start your application online through the official Social Security website. However, visiting L.A. Westwood is often necessary for verifying original documents or if you require in-person assistance with complex benefit details.
You should bring a valid photo ID, your work history for the last 15 years, a list of all your doctors with their addresses, and your recent medical records. Having these items ready helps the staff at L.A. Westwood process your request without unnecessary delays.
You are not required to have a lawyer for your appointment at L.A. Westwood, but having one can be highly beneficial. An attorney can ensure your medical evidence is properly documented and that your application is complete, which may help you avoid common pitfalls that lead to denials.