Address, phone & hours
Your local SSA service center
The Hazard office acts as your local Social Security service center, supporting a population where 62% of beneficiaries are age 65 or older. With 5,155 disabled-worker beneficiaries, the office manages a significant volume of disability-related paperwork. Residents across 83 ZIP codes rely on this location to distribute $32 million in monthly benefits. This office maintains a typical SSDI beneficiary share, reflecting the broader economic landscape of the region.
You can visit the Hazard office to file initial SSDI applications, drop off essential medical records, verify your identity, and update direct deposit information. While this office handles the intake of your claim, it does not decide the outcome of your application, which is handled by the state DDS. Additionally, this location does not conduct hearings, as those are managed by a separate Office of Hearings Operations. Schedule an appointment in advance to minimize your wait time.
Who this office serves
Beneficiaries in this service area receive an estimated $32,249k in Social Security benefits each month.
Before you visit
To ensure a smooth appointment at the Hazard office, bring a valid government-issued photo ID and a detailed 15-year work history. You should also provide a comprehensive list of all treating physicians with their contact information, recent medical records, and a current list of medications. If you have received any prior denial notices, bring those documents as well.
Many applicants delay their claims by failing to provide a complete 15-year work history or missing recent medical records from your primary doctors. Forgetting to disclose mental health conditions or specific limitations can also lead to an incomplete picture of your disability. Avoid signing any forms at the office until you have read them thoroughly and understand what you are authorizing. Providing accurate, exhaustive information during your first visit is the best way to prevent unnecessary processing delays.
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?
While you can apply for benefits on your own, having an attorney involved from the start can be a significant advantage. The evidence you gather and the way you present your case during this initial appointment will form the foundation of your entire claim record. An attorney can help you understand your options before you walk through the doors at Hazard.
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 Hazard. The Hazard 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 the Hazard office, scheduling an appointment in advance is strongly recommended to ensure you are seen promptly. Walk-in service is available, but wait times can be unpredictable depending on the daily volume of visitors.
Yes, you can initiate your SSDI application online through the official Social Security website. However, you may still need to visit the Hazard office to provide original documents, verify your identity, or submit specific medical evidence that cannot be uploaded digitally.
If you miss your scheduled appointment at the Hazard office, contact the office as soon as possible to reschedule. Missing an appointment can delay your application process, so it is important to communicate any scheduling conflicts immediately.
You should bring your government-issued photo ID, a complete 15-year work history, a list of all your treating doctors with their addresses, and any recent medical records or test results. Having these items organized will help the claims representative process your file more efficiently.