The Social Security Administration Commissioner Astrue has implemented a new informal remand project in the hopes of reducing the disability backlog for those at the hearing stage for SSDI and SSI claims. The informal remand project will include hundreds of federal disability examiners around the country. These federal disability examiners will be pulling certain cases which are at the hearing level to see if a fully favorable decision can be made without the need for hearing. I presently have many cases undergoing this review. In most of the cases, I have been contacted by the federal disability examiners informing us what additional evidence is needed to assess these claims for the possibility of a fully favorable on the record decision. Some of you who do not have lawyers may be contacted by these reviewers asking for certain medical evidence. It is important that you respond as quickly as possible to these requests since it could mean a decision without having to wait more months to get a hearing date. I expect this new project will decrease the hearing wait times for not only those cases that are selected but also cases that are not selected since there should be less cases waiting for hearing. This project is different from those requesting an expedited decision for other reasons. Which cases are selected for this review appears to be at the sole discretion of the Social Security Administration. So if you have a particularly strong case and you're waiting for hearing date it is possible to make a decision before you even get a hearing date. I hope many of you reading this benefit from this new program and get favorable decisions as soon as possible.