Social Security is a large bureaucracy. While a disability claim is pending, we deal with smaller parts of the bureaucracy, such as a state's DDS or the local Social Security hearing office. It's not hard to track a claim as it works its way through the determination process.

However, once a claim is granted and processed by the local office, it gets swallowed into the Social Security disability bureaucracy. It can be problematic to track a claim after a favorable decision, because the disability payment process is not controlled by the local office, and there is no one to call to find out what is going on with payment of the claim.

Actually, there is a number (not a person) to call to inquire about a Social Security disability claim. Call the automated file locator number: 1-410-965-8882. The number is available only during business hours. You will be asked for the first 5 digits of your client's Social Security number.

The automated file locator will give you the telephone number of the office handling that claim. When you call that phone number, you get to talk with a person who can actually help you. I called the number last week to locate a claim that was inexplicably stalled, and a short phone call solved the problem. Part of what a Social Security lawyer does for you is ensure you get paid properly, and that task is a little easier now.

Thanks to Wisconsin Social Security attorney David Traver for posting the number for the Social Security automated file locator on his website.