Approval rates
Evaluating a judge's performance requires comparing their historical record against the broader bench at their office. Michael S. Worrall's 52% approval rate on record since 2016 sits within the 49% to 57% range established by other judges whose most recent office on record is Evansville. These figures are derived from 2,116 Social Security Administration decisions, providing a view of past outcomes.
SSA has not published a latest-period approval, fully favorable or denial breakdown for Judge Worrall. The most recent period with decisions on record is September 30, 2022. Those rows are left out rather than estimated.
Approval rate over time
Year-over-year approval rate across Judge Worrall'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
The approval rate for Michael S. Worrall has shown variation across the 2,116 decisions on record since 2016. After an approval rate of 66% in 2017, the rate shifted to 57% in 2018, 47% in 2019, 52% in 2020, 47% in 2021, and 49% in 2022. This pattern reflects the judge's historical decision-making across the data window.
Preparing for an SSDI hearing
The guidance below applies to any SSDI hearing, not specifically to Judge Worrall'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.
About the Evansville hearing office
Michael S. Worrall's most recent office on record is the Evansville hearing office. This office maintains a bench of 7 judges who handle disability claims. You can expect a formal hearing process where evidence quality is the primary factor in your decision.
Other judges whose most recent office on record is Evansville
The Social Security Administration uses a workload-balancing algorithm to assign cases, meaning the judge you are assigned is essentially random. There are 7 judges whose most recent office on record is Evansville. Approval rates among this group range from 49% to 57% on their since-2016 records.
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.
Frequently asked questions
Michael S. Worrall's 52% approval rate on record since 2016 falls within the 49% to 57% range of other judges whose most recent office on record is Evansville. Because case assignment is random, an attorney can help you prepare your case to meet the specific evidentiary standards of this office.
The judge's approval rate has fluctuated over the 2,116 decisions on record since 2016, ranging from a high of 66% in 2017 to 49% in 2022. An attorney can help you understand how these historical trends might relate to the current evidence in your file.
No, you cannot request a specific judge. The Social Security Administration uses a random, algorithmic process to assign cases to ensure workload balance across the hearing office. An attorney can help you prepare for a hearing regardless of which judge is assigned to your case.
An SSDI hearing is a formal proceeding where an Administrative Law Judge reviews your medical evidence and testimony. You will likely be questioned about your work history and functional limitations. An attorney can help you prepare your testimony and organize your medical records for the hearing.
A judge's approval rate is a statistical summary of past decisions, not a prediction of your specific outcome. Your case's success depends primarily on the medical evidence and how well it meets the Social Security Administration disability criteria. An attorney can help you evaluate the strength of your evidence before your hearing.
