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Updated June 2026 · SSA Public
State Profile
Virginia
VA · Region PHL
DDS approval rate
43.7%
+3.9 pts vs national
DDS approval rate
43.7%
National: 39.8%
3-year change
-0.4 pts
Annual receipts
42,174
FY2024
Hearing offices
5
25 ALJs
Latest monthly DDS data · 2026-03
Initial receipts
3,947
Initial determinations
4,338
Initial allowance rate
38.2%
Initial pending
12,450
Recon determinations
1,307
Recon allowance rate
17.0%
Hearing offices in Virginia
| Office | Rank | Processing days | Pending | Approval | Judges |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ROANOKE | 53 | 247 | 1,165 | 54.4% | 4 |
| CHARLOTTESVILLE | 66 | 253 | 1,551 | 51.7% | 5 |
| RICHMOND | 86 | 259 | 1,863 | 45.0% | 5 |
| NORFOLK | 123 | 281 | 2,363 | 55.5% | 7 |
| NHC FALLS CHURCH | — | 346 | 1 | 41.3% | 4 |
ALJs in Virginia (25)
Sorted by approval rate.
| Judge | Office | Approval | Decisions | Awards | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thompson, Michelle | LOS ANGELES DOWNTOWN | 87.3% | 245 | 214 | |
| Scruton, Joseph T | ROANOKE | 70.6% | 265 | 187 | |
| Schueler, Jeffrey J | ROANOKE | 68.4% | 19 | 13 | |
| Galloway, Christopher | CHARLESTON WV | 66.9% | 178 | 119 | |
| Pflugrath, William | NORFOLK | 66.7% | 168 | 112 | |
| Flynn, Monica | NORFOLK | 61.5% | 130 | 80 | |
| Carr, Michael | SPECIAL REVIEW CADRE | 58.6% | 29 | 17 | |
| Erwin, Thomas W | ROANOKE | 58.4% | 238 | 139 | |
| Eklund, Eric | RICHMOND | 56.8% | 234 | 133 | |
| Johnson, Anthony J | RICHMOND | 56.1% | 198 | 111 | |
| Hannan, Bonnie | WASHINGTON | 55.8% | 274 | 153 | |
| Bright, Maryann | NORFOLK | 55.5% | 256 | 142 | |
| Baker, Mark | RICHMOND | 55.1% | 236 | 130 | |
| Jordan, Jeffrey | NORFOLK | 52.5% | 244 | 128 | |
| Gendreau, Chad | NORFOLK | 49.4% | 271 | 134 | |
| Rippel, Brian | CHARLOTTESVILLE | 48.5% | 295 | 143 | |
| Moore, Carol | CHARLOTTESVILLE | 47.1% | 153 | 72 | |
| Foster, Nicolas R. | RICHMOND | 47.0% | 279 | 131 | |
| Matula, Carol | NORFOLK | 46.4% | 250 | 116 | |
| Koclanes, Peter N | CHARLOTTESVILLE | 45.6% | 296 | 135 | |
| Moldafsky, Gregory | NHC FALLS CHURCH | 36.1% | 202 | 73 | |
| Gabello, James | ROANOKE | 31.7% | 243 | 77 | |
| Kim, T. | NHC FALLS CHURCH | 30.6% | 324 | 99 | |
| Munday, H | CHARLOTTESVILLE | 29.7% | 239 | 71 | |
| Knight, Suzette | RICHMOND | 17.2% | 285 | 49 |
Next step
Estimate approval odds
See SSA historical approval base rates for a Virginia claim by condition, age, and stage.