Law Offices of James F. Aspell, P.C.
A Connecticut practice focused on Social Security disability, handling claims from the application through the ALJ hearing.
Free Consult Common
DisabilitySSDI / SSI
Updated April 22, 2026
Social Security disability is a federal program, so the medical rules are the same in Hartford as anywhere else — but most claims are denied at first, and winning usually comes down to the appeal and the hearing before an administrative law judge. Connecticut hearings are handled out of the Social Security hearing offices in Hartford and New Haven. Below are vetted Hartford disability firms, plus plain-English answers on how the process works, how long it takes, and how lawyers get paid.
There are two main federal disability programs, both run by the Social Security Administration. SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance) is for people who worked and paid into Social Security long enough to be "insured." SSI (Supplemental Security Income) is need-based and does not require a work history, but has strict income and asset limits. For either, you generally must show a medical condition that keeps you from working and is expected to last at least 12 months. Most first-time Hartford applications are denied — usually because the medical evidence was not organized the way the SSA requires, not because the person is not disabled.
Step 1: the initial application, filed online, by phone, or at the Hartford Social Security field office. A decision usually takes about 6 to 8 months. Step 2: if denied, request reconsideration within 60 days; this review takes another 3 to 6 months and is denied in most cases. Step 3: request a hearing before an administrative law judge. Hartford-area hearings are scheduled through the Social Security hearing offices serving Connecticut, and the wait commonly runs a year or more. Step 4: if the judge denies the claim, the Appeals Council can review it. Step 5: the final option is a lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut. A lawyer matters most from the hearing stage on, when your medical records, testimony, and vocational evidence all have to line up.
Disability lawyer fees are set and capped by federal law, so they are identical whether the firm is large or small. The lawyer is paid only if you win, taking 25% of your past-due benefits up to a federal maximum the SSA periodically raises — currently $9,200. If there is no back pay, there is generally no fee. You may still owe small costs, like the price of medical records. Because the fee structure is the same everywhere, choose your Hartford disability lawyer on experience and communication, not price.
These firms are profiled in full, with practice focus and recognition, in our Top 10 Disability Lawyers in Hartford guide. Each is a real, independently listed CT firm.
A Connecticut practice focused on Social Security disability, handling claims from the application through the ALJ hearing.
A disability-focused firm representing Connecticut claimants at reconsideration and at hearings before administrative law judges.
A Connecticut firm handling SSDI and SSI claims along with related benefits issues for injured and disabled clients.
A long-established Hartford firm that handles Social Security disability among its practice areas.
A Connecticut disability practice for claimants who want focused, one-on-one help with a denied claim or upcoming hearing.
A disability-only practice handling SSDI and SSI claims and appeals for Connecticut residents.
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