Approval rates
Judge Bezego maintains a lifetime approval rate of 56% across 23,726 lifetime decisions. In the most recent reporting period, his approval rate reached 64%, compared to a 71% average at the Seven Fields office and a 58% national average. This data provides a statistical baseline for your hearing preparation. Aggregate rates describe past decisions, not predictions for your individual hearing.
Office- and national-level breakdowns of fully favorable vs denial rates aren't currently published by SSA in the per-office disposition data. The judge's own breakdown is the detail we have today.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge Bezego's docket. Annual rates fluctuate with the mix of cases SSA assigns; the longer-run pattern is more informative than any single year.
Decision pattern
Over his 10-year tenure, Judge Bezego has shown an upward trend in approval rates. Starting at 45% in 2016, his annual approval frequency has increased, reaching 67% in recent reporting. While these trends offer insight into his docket, the lifetime average reflects the docket as a whole, not a prediction for your individual hearing. An attorney can help you prepare your case to meet the specific requirements of your hearing.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Bezego's bench. Judge-specific preparation guidance requires a corpus of public Appeals Council decisions involving each judge, which we haven't built yet.
- Bring a clean treating-physician record. Longitudinal primary-care or specialist notes spanning the disability period, with consistent symptom documentation, are typically the strongest evidence at hearing. A single month's records usually aren't enough.
- Don't rely on consultative exams alone. If your medical evidence is built primarily around a one-time CE finding, expect detailed questioning. Supplement with treating-source statements where possible.
- Prepare for daily-activity questions. Have honest, specific answers about a typical day. Answers that conflict with the medical record (in either direction) tend to hurt credibility.
- Expect transferable-skills probing. A vocational expert will usually testify about jobs available to someone with your limitations. Your representative should be prepared to cross-examine.
Hearing with Judge Bezego? See if a free benefits review fits your case.
Check My BenefitsAbout the Seven Fields hearing office
The Seven Fields Hearing Office serves you and other claimants across Pennsylvania and the surrounding region. With a bench of 6 judges, the office manages a high volume of disability claims. The office currently maintains a 71% approval rate. You can see the Seven Fields Hearing Office page for the full ALJ roster.
Your odds change dramatically with a lawyer
SSDI hearing approval rates — represented vs. on your own
Source: U.S. Government Accountability Office, GAO-18-37. The 3× gap is a population-wide average across all judges; individual outcomes vary.