Skip to main content

WHY GET AN ATTORNEY FOR SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY?

While you are not required to have a lawyer or representative by Social Security, having one gives you many advantages.  

A 2017 study by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that claimants with a professional representative are almost 3 times as likely to get benefits.  

An attorney/representative can review your application to prevent errors that can cause a denial or a delay.  

Your representative may help gather important medical evidence to support your claim and increase the odds of early approval.

Since three-fourths of new claims are denied, your attorney/representative can help you through the appeal process, which requires a knowledge of Social Security's rules, regulations and procedures.

If you must go before a judge for a hearing (most claimants do)--your representative can prepare you for your hearing, prepare evidence suitable for the judge--and appear with you at your hearing as your legal representation.  The judge will usually advise you to obtain a representative and come back for your hearing with your legal representative.

A 2017 study by the US Congressional Budget Office (CBO) found that claimants who have professional representation are almost 3X as likely to be approved, compared to claimants without representation.  Not having representation simply reduces your chance of success to below the acceptable level of risk.

On final advantage of representation is that it can save you hundreds of hours of work and much anxiety.  Your attorney will chase the evidence, mediate with Social Security, meet deadlines--a hundred details that you won't have to be responsible for.  

Attorneys or representatives are required to work on a contingency fee arrangement.  This means they cannot charge you a fee unless rcase is successful AND results in payment of past due benefits.  The Social Security Administration governs how much your representative can charge you, and when. Social Security must approve any attorney's fee before it can be collected from you.

In conclusion, you don't seek representation because you have to; you seek it because it is advantageous to you. 

___________

Charles W. Forsythe is founder of The Forsythe Firm located in Huntsville, AL and Nashville, TN.  He handles nothing but Social Security disability (SSDI) claims and appeals.  Free consultations are available at (256) 799-0297.


 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

MEETING SOCIAL SECURITY'S DURATION REQUIREMENT FOR DISABILITY

SSDI, or Social Security Disability Insurance, requires a severe impairment which has lasted for at least 12 straight months, is expected to last at least 12 straight months OR is expected to end in death. This 12 consecutive months requirement is called the "Duration Requirement."  Disabilities with a duration of less than 1 year are not covered under the Social Security Act. You do not have to wait 12 months to file a claim. There is no requirement to wait 12 months to file.  But if your disability has not already last for at least 12 months, the nature of the impairment must be such that is can reasonably be expected to last 12 months or longer OR to end in death.  Short term impairments are not covered. What you will need to document for your medical and/or mental impairment(s):   A claimant will require objective medical proof.  This comes in the form of official medical records from doctors, clinics, hospitals, counselors, therapists and other professiona...
Post a Comment
Read more

A DISABILITY DENIAL IS NOT THE END OF YOUR CASE

By Charles W. Forsythe The Forsythe Firm Social Security denies a lot of applications.  It's expected.  But it's not the end. The good news is:  You can probably win your case on appeal and get paid benefits.  It just takes a bit longer. About 8 out of 10 new disability claims will be routinely denied.  So, it's rather unusual to be approved just by filing an application. An appeal sounds like a last resort or tricky legal maneuver.  It's really quite common--almost  normal--in a Social Security disability case. 8 out 10 claims will be appealed at least once, often twice, before they are paid. The process that pays Social Security disability is not the application, it's the appeal process. Many claimants who don't understand the importance of appeals give up after the first denial.  A serious mistake.  You odds get better in appeals. TIME LIMIT ON APPEALS.  All unfavorable Social Security decisions must be appealed within 60 days.  ...
Post a Comment
Read more

SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS FOR DOWNS SYNDROME

Downs Syndrome may qualify for automatic SSI disability in children. A child with Translocation Syndrome or Trisomy 21 will usually be classified as disabled from birth. This type of syndrome affects about 98 percent of the Downs Syndrome population. Social Security will want a diagnosis from a medically acceptable source and they will want certain tests.Once the documentation is presented, an SSI award may be automatic.  Those with Mosaic Down syndrome may qualify, but your child would need more than a diagnosis to be approved. Because [according to SSA] people with Mosaic Down syndrome may not have as many intellectual or physical disabilities as those with other forms of Down syndrome, you’ll need to meet another listing in the Blue Book to qualify. Social Security will consider the complications or manifestations of Downs Syndrome in making a decision. If the claimant is a child (under 18), k eep in mind that SSI is a needs-based program for families with limited resources...
Post a Comment
Read more