“I worked hard all my life. A lot of money came out of my paychecks for Social Security. Now that I can’t work, my case should be awarded. Why should I spend money on hiring a lawyer?”
That’s a fair question. The short answer is hiring a lawyer knowledgeable about Social Security disability can increase the likelihood of your claim being awarded AND it doesn’t cost you any money up front. In fact, statistics show that those who hire an attorney are twice as likely to win a disability case than those who go it alone.
Appealing your case improves your chances of winning
Appealing your disability case improves the likelihood of receiving approval for disability.
If you have recently been denied disability benefits, we encourage you to file an appeal. Remember, an appeal must be done within 60 days from the denial.
How hiring a Social Security disability lawyer can help you
1. Free Consultations
It doesn’t cost anything to meet with one of our lawyers and have your questions answered. We don’t do a hard sell during consultations. We’re here to answer questions. We’re not here to pressure you to sign up as a client if you’re not ready to do so. And we do a good job of managing your expectations – i.e., if we think your case is a winner, we will let you know. If we think your case is a loser, we will let you know.
2. No Upfront Cost
We don’t receive any payment unless and until we win your case. Disability lawyers typically handle cases on a contingency fee basis. IF we win your case and IF that win results in back benefits owed to you, then we are paid the lesser of 25% or $6,000 of those back due benefits. IF we win the case AFTER a successful appeal to the Appeals Council or federal court, then the contingency fee becomes a flat 25%.
3. Case Development for Improving Chances of Winning
A disability lawyer will ensure ALL of your medical records are gathered and submitted to Social Security. Social Security will make a single attempt to get your records. If Social Security does not receive your records after a single attempt, they will make a decision on your case with an incomplete record.
We will also get medical opinions from your doctors detailing how your health problems affect your ability to function in a work environment. Social Security does not attempt to get such evidence in support of your case. A knowledgeable disability lawyer, who again does not receive payment unless they win your case, will properly develop the case to improve your likelihood of winning.
4. Stress Reduction
Applying for disability involves more paperwork and phone calls than most folks imagine when they are preparing to sign up. The shortest wait time involved in applying for disability is three months. Thus, it’s helpful to have someone to call who will explain to you exactly what is going on with your case. When Social Security is asking you to fill out the same form you completed 6 months ago, it’s helpful to have someone to call who will explain why it is necessary (and will gladly complain with you!).
When Social Security needs to contact you to discuss your case, it’s helpful to have a buffer who can explain what questions they will ask in advance. And when Social Security sets up an appointment for you to see one of their doctors, it’s helpful to have someone to call who will explain what that appointment will entail. If you receive a denial, it’s helpful to have someone to call who will help you keep the faith. A disability attorney will ensure to file your appeal in a timely manner as well.
Disability lawyers are also your advocates when applying for or appealing a disability case. At Balin Law, we will help prepare you for the types of questions asked in court. We will also explain why the court is asking those questions. It’s our job to set your expectations and help you feel prepared and confident throughout the disability process.
5. Disability Lawyers Understand the Hearing Process
Do not attend a disability hearing without a knowledgeable lawyer. There will be at least one expert witness testifying at your hearing. If it is a vocational expert, you need a lawyer familiar with the Dictionary of Occupational Titles and its companion publication the Selected Characteristics of Occupations to cross examine the vocational expert.
Disability attorneys also have inside knowledge about Administrative Law Judges (ALJs). We know their personalities and decision-making processes, which can help in preparing for a case. If it is a medical expert, you need a lawyer familiar with Social Security’s medical listings to cross examine the medical expert. Again, do not attend a disability hearing without a knowledgeable lawyer.
We hope we have informed you with several reasons as to why it’s beneficial to hire a knowledgeable Social Security disability attorney. Balin Law has been in practice since 1980 fighting and winning cases for those who are so deserving of disability benefits. We encourage you to get an experienced lawyer on your side when looking to file Social Security disability benefits or while appealing a denial.
We encourage you to share this post and give us a call with any questions you have 866-492-2546
It’s good that you mention that social security disability lawyers will make sure that all of the necessary medical records are sent to Social Security so that they’ll have all of the facts. I’d think that an attorney would also be able to know exactly what you’ll need to win your case. So it seems like it’d be a good idea to find someone who could represent your social security disability case.
Amanda- precisely!
I like how you said that a social security disability attorney will ensure that all of the medical paperwork is submitted. This seems like a really important and helpful thing to have. Considering that disability would make it hard to do this yourself having a helping hand would make all the difference.
Thanks, and yes, absolutely!
Thank you for pointing out that this can relieve some of the stress that can come from the whole process. My grandparents are having some of these problems and it’s been a bit of a mess. I think that it would really help them to have someone like this to get them through this and who knows what’s going on.
Gerty,
We are sorry your grandparents are having these problems. Don’t hesitate to find a lawyer or a law firm that will advocate on your behalf so your grandparents can get the benefits they deserve. Law firms that focus on practicing law in Social Security disability know the ins and outs of the process and can help one have a higher likelihood of receiving benefits, faster. -EP
My friend has been having some difficulty getting accepted for social security disability. I like how you pointed out that hiring a lawyer for this reason can be useful since they take a lot of stress of your back. I’m sure my friend would really benefit from this since she’s pretty stressed about the whole application process.
We are sorry to hear that your friend has been having difficulty in receiving disability benefits. Please know your friend isn’t alone and they can call us toll-free for a free consultation 866-492-2546
This is some really good information about social security lawyers. I liked what you said about how you should try to find one that does free consultations. That way, you can see if you even have a chance of winning your case. That does seem like an important step to do before picking a lawyer.
I appreciate you helping me learn more about hiring a social security disability lawyer. My friend will be benefited from the free consultation you have mentioned as well as the upfront cost. She’s been in stress and agony for about a year now because of her concern. I will read this article again so I can explain it to her.
Joy,
Glad we could help! Please call us with any questions 866-492-2546 -EP
My uncle was badly injured at work and he can’t regularly go to his company anymore. It was mentioned here that having a social security attorney will surely help reduce the stress that he’s currently experiencing because of the injury. Moreover, it’s best to hire experienced social security disability attorney.
Mariah-
We are sorry to hear your uncle was badly injured. And most definitely having an experienced Social Security disability attorney by one’s side can help improve the chances of winning a case significantly. -EP
It’s good to know that a disability lawyer can help you gather and submit your medical records to Social Security. My friend was in a car accident the other day which resulted in his inability to work. As he currently has mobility problems, I’ll be sure to inform him about hiring a disability attorney to help him with the document processing to have a high chance of getting his claim.
James,
We are very sorry to hear that your friend was in a car accident. We are glad you came across our blog. Please contact us if we can be of any assistance. -EP
I like how you mentioned that hiring a lawyer to do the legal work in a disability case helps reduce stress. My brother is hiring an attorney to help with his case. Thanks for the reasons to hire a social security disability lawyer.
Sutton,
We are glad our blog could help! -EP
Very Great blog! Nowadays most of them are not aware about the importance of disability lawyer. This is an indeed a great post about hire social disability lawyer. This seems like a really very important and helpful thing to have. Thanks for sharing such a knowledgeable post.
Of course – thanks for reading.
I really like how this article mentions that when you hire a lawyer it reduces stress. Typically in a situation where the law has to get involved, it is stressful enough. I will remember this if I ever have to get a lawyer.
It is good to know that my uncle has the option to hire an attorney to help with is social security disability. It is definitely a struggle. Thank you for the great article.
There really are several reasons to consider hiring a social security attorney for your disability case. As the article points out, they will be able to help you properly prepare for the case. This includes getting all of the appropriate paperwork done in advance and helping you put together your case notes and evidence.
I had a car accident last week and the incident caused severe damage on both of my legs, because of this I had to file for a longer leave. You’ve mentioned that a lawyer will gather all the medical records and see to it that it’ll be submitted to social security. That’s why I’m currently looking for a lawyer that specializes in social security for disability.
Hi Rachel- First, we are very sorry to hear that you were in a car accident that caused severe damage. Our firm helps take the stress away during a difficult time. Since 1980, our firm has focused only on Social Security disability claims so we absolutely have the experience to help. Please call us for a free consultation 866-49-BALIN (866-492-2546).
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