The Social Security Administration has released new regulations which state that you can no longer appeal your denial at the hearing level to the Appeals Council and file a new application at the same time. This is extremely unfair to disabled claimants because they may be forced to decide whether they should file a new application and possibly get a quicker decision or appeal the hearing decision so that they don't lose their past due benefits. The Social Security disability lawyers conference is in November and I am curious as to what the organization has to say about these new regulations and what efforts are being made to change this. Social Security claims this is necessary for quicker adjudication of claims. However, most disability lawyers will tell you that this creates a difficult situation for Social Security disability claimants. The problem with this regulation is that if you are denied at hearing and you do not appeal then on the new application you can only be paid benefits from the date of the last decision. If you decide to appeal, and you are not also allowed to file a new application, you may have to wait a year or longer for the Appeals Council to make a decision. I sincerely hope Social Security reconsiders these regulations as I believe it puts Social Security disability claimants in the bad position of having to make a choice between a possible quicker decision and getting their full past due benefits.