Key Questions To Ask Your Social Security Disability Lawyer

No one would perhaps contemplate the possibility of having to hire a social security disability lawyer. But as fate would have it if you or your family member is incapacitated to engage in any gainful activity you should immediately file a claim for social security disability benefits. You should hire the services of an experienced social security disability lawyer to ensure that your claim is approved at the earliest without any hassles.

Make inquiries and zero in on a competent and reputable lawyer. Most lawyers offer an initial consultation free of charge. You should utilize this opportunity to have a free and frank discussion with the social security disability lawyer and seek clarification of any doubts or apprehensions that you might have.

Interview with Social Security Disability Lawyer

Ask the lawyer about what cases he normally deals with and whether he has prior experience in dealing with similar cases. You would not want a personal injury lawyer to deal with your social security disability claim. Enquire about the law school the social security disability lawyer graduated from as someone in your family, friends, or social circle might have passed out from the same school.

You should also question the lawyer about the number of years he has been practicing and his performance in social security disability claims. It is not possible for any lawyer to have a hundred per cent success rate, therefore, quiz him about the satisfaction level of his previous clients and not the success rate. You can ask him to furnish any testimonials to validate his success or satisfaction rate. Social security disability lawyer should be able to explain the reason if he does not wish to disclose any information.

You should ask the lawyer whether your claim stands a good chance of being approved and if yes, the time it could take before you start receiving the payment. Clarify from the lawyer about his professional charges and any other expenditure that you might have to incur on the claim. Make sure that social security disability lawyer gives you a specific reply or a tentative timeframe and does not beat around the bush. It would be better to hire a lawyer who works on a contingency basis.

Approval of a social security disability claim will take months or even years and it is important that your lawyer keeps in touch with you and regularly provides updates about the status of your claim. Ask him how often he is going to update you and the mode of communication. Busy lawyers tend to delegate cases to their juniors. Ask the lawyer who in his/her office is going to deal with your case regularly. A good lawyer answers all your questions patiently and will seek further details regarding the claim.

Your future depends on the outcome of the claim while your lawyer might treat this as just another case in his/her practice. Interview the social security disability lawyer and hire his/her services only if you feel confident about his/her attitude, aptitude, and approach.

Make an educated decision when looking for the right social security disability lawyer. It's wise to konw what you need to qualify, what to do if you've been denied a claim, and things to be careful of when filing. This ssd lawyer site will break down each medical condition in an easy to understand way, and will help you win your claim!

5 Things to Keep In Mind When Filing For Social Security Disability Benefits

For those of our readers considering filing for Social Security Disability benefits, we are posting this article from another source to give you things to consider. As always, if you have any questions, please contact us.

You should seek the advice of a social security disability lawyer before filing a claim for disability benefits. He will verify the information furnished and make changes if necessary taking care that your application fulfills the eligibility criteria specified by the social security administration.

Properly Filled Application

You can download SSD benefit application form from the SSA website or visit the local SSA office for a copy. For an average American filling in the form might seem a complex and daunting task. It would therefore be better to hire the services of a social security disability lawyer who will ensure that you fill in all the required details properly with adequate evidence to back your claims.

Timely Action

Never delay the filing of application for SSD benefits. The processing of the claim and approval might take at least a year even if you are fortunate enough to get through the first time. Any delay in filing the application or failure to furnish information requested by the SSA on time will sabotage your chances even though your case might be genuine.

Employment Record

SSA will take into account your employment history ten years prior to the date of your disability. You should have been employed gainfully for at least five of the ten years prior to being disabled. In addition to this it is important that social security disability insurance was being deducted from your salary. It is important that you have pay slips, bank account statements and other relevant documents to substantiate your claim. SSA will compare the evidence submitted by you with the form W2 submitted by your employer to verify your claim.

Letter from the Employer

You can request your employer to give a written statement that your disability was the cause for being unable to work. You can also ask him to include details of your job profile and your performance before you were disabled. This will give an idea of the way in which disability has rendered you incapable of performing any monetarily productive work. Take the help of a social security disability lawyer for proper guidance in these matters.

Medical Record

This is the most critical record upon which your claim's approval will depend. You should maintain a record of the hospital visits, medications prescribed, investigations done, record of any therapy done, medical bills, and other relevant information. This will serve to impress upon the SSA representatives the extent of disability and the expenditure you are incurring on healthcare after being disabled.

Social security disability lawyer might also request your doctor to give a letter describing your current health status, probable prognosis, and the time it might take for you to completely recover and undertake gainful employment.

It is important to understand the whole process and keep all the relevant data ready. A good social security disability lawyer will guide you at every step of filing the claim and will also regularly pursue the case and update you about the status.

Make an educated decision when looking for the right social security disability lawyer. It's wise to konw what you need to qualify, what to do if you've been denied a claim, and things to be careful of when filing. This social security disability site will break down each medical condition in an easy to understand way, and will help you win your claim!

Social Security Disability Benefits

One of the biggest possible mistakes that you can make when applying for a social security disability benefit is to go through the process unprepared. The reason why this is such a big mistake is because it has the power to waste an extraordinarily large amount of your time and effort. When you file for disability, the examiners never become aware of how much time has elapsed between when you decided to file and when you actually followed through on the filing, and what this means is that there isn't a penalty for actually taking the time to put your case together. However, the day that you decide that you would like to apply for social security disability benefits should be the day that you get the ball rolling on the process.

There are a number of reasons why people put off their filing for social security. In some cases, they seem to be simply hoping that the condition they are suffering from is going to improve, or that somehow the job that they are doing is going to be able to accommodate their disability. A lot of people tend to put filing off simply because they are afraid to admit on paper that they are disabled, because to them it means that they are incapable.

Many claimants end up feeling caught up in the process because they are worried about filing for disability and becoming denied. Unfortunately, when you are denied by your SSDI or SSI application, it may mean spending a great amount more time pursuing your claim by climbing the appeals ladder. For many of those applying, this is a scary idea and it leads them to stress themselves out about applying at all. Luckily, there are ways that you can eliminate or lessen these fears and focus your attention on properly and completely preparing

When you decide that you want to apply for these SSDI and SSI benefits, the first thing that you should do is to find out more information about having someone on your side, such as an attorney or an advocate. You can file as soon as you feel that you are ready, but you should not file until you have worked with a professional and determined whether or not you are fully prepared. Your attorney or advocate will be able to tell you if he or she feels that you will qualify for disability, and will help you shape your application or appeal accordingly. With this addition of support, you should be able to go through the process much more smoothly because there will be no doubt as to whether or not you are prepared.

If you are not working because of your disabled status or condition, then it is time to find out more about applying for SSI or SSDI benefits. When you have someone that is fighting on your side with you, it will make it easier for you to prepare your case and to determine whether or not you are prepared to file your claim.


Freedom Disability offers education and representation services to people living in the US seeking help applying for Social Security Disability Benefits. For additional information please contact Freedom Disability.

Applying for Social Security Disability

Many of our clients ask us for help with applying for Social Security Disability. Below is a list of frequently asked questions about applying for SSD. If you, family member or friend has questions about Social Security Disability, contact me for a free consultation.

How can I tell if I am disabled enough to apply for social security disability benefits?

Social Security regulations make it easier to be found disabled as you get older. It becomes easier for a few people at age 45 (those unable to read English), for more people at age 50, for most people at age 55, and even more people at age 60. If you’re over age 55 and you cannot do any job you have done in the past 15 years, you should definitely apply. If you’re over age 50 and have a severe impairment that keeps you from doing all but the easiest jobs, you ought to apply.

But even if you’re a younger person, you don’t have to be bedridden in order to be found disabled. If you’re under age 45 or 50 and you cannot do your past jobs and you cannot work full time at any regular job, that ought to be enough.

How do I apply for Social Security Disability or SSI benefits?

The Social Security Administration (SSA) offers three ways for you to apply for Social Security disability benefits: by telephone, in person at a local Social Security office, or via the Internet. If you want to use the Internet to apply, go to www.socialsecurity.gov/applyfordisability/adult.htm.

If you want to complete an application for SSI or Social Security disability by telephone or in person, you must first telephone SSA at 1-800-772-1213. If you choose to go to a Social Security office to complete the application, the person at the 800 number above will schedule an appointment for you, give you directions to the Social Security office, and tell you what papers you need to bring along. If you want to apply by phone, you will be given a date and an approximate time to expect a phone call from someone at the Social Security office who will take your application over the phone. The application will then be mailed to you for your signature.

Do you have any advice about applying for disability benefits?

Yes. Give SSA all the information it asks for in a straightforward way. Be truthful. Do not exaggerate or minimize your disability.

Should I contact a lawyer to help me apply for Social Security Disability or SSI benefits?

As a rule, a person does not need a lawyer’s help to file the application. SSA makes this part very easy and, in fact, it usually will not let a lawyer (or anyone else) file the application for you.

What happens if I am denied benefits and I do not appeal within 60 days?

You’ll have to start over with a new application — and it may mean that you’ll lose some back benefits. So it’s important to appeal all denials within 60 days. It’s better if you appeal right away so that you get through the bureaucratic denial system faster. The quicker you can get to the hearing stage the better.

How do I appeal?

Your denial letter will tell you about appealing. The first appeal is called a “reconsideration.” You must request reconsideration and then, after the reconsideration is denied, you must request a hearing within the 60-day time limit.

You can appeal in one of three ways. (1) Telephone the Social Security Administration and make arrangements for your appeal to be handled by phone and mail. (2) Go to the Social Security office to submit your appeal. If you go to the Social Security office, be sure to take along a copy of your denial letter. And be sure that the Social Security representative gives you a signed copy of your appeal paper showing that you appealed on time. Or (3) appeal online at https://secure.ssa.gov/apps6z/iAppeals/ap001.jsp. Be sure to print and retain the receipt for your appeal so that you can prove you appealed on time.

What are the biggest mistakes people make when trying to get disability benefits?

Failing to appeal. More than half of the people whose applications are denied fail to appeal. Many people who are denied on reconsideration fail to request a hearing.

Another mistake, although much less common, is made by people who fail to obtain appropriate medical care. Some people with long-term chronic medical problems feel that they have not been helped much by doctors. Thus, for the most part, they stop going for treatment. This is a mistake for both medical and legal reasons. First, no one needs good medical care more than those with chronic medical problems. Second, medical treatment records provide the most important evidence of disability in a Social Security case.

Since medical evidence is so important, should I have my doctor write a letter to the Social Security Administration and should I gather medical records and send them to SSA?

SSA will gather the medical records, so you don’t have to do that. Whether you should ask your doctor to write a letter is a hard question. A few people win their cases by having their doctors write letters. You can try this if you want to. The problem is that the medical-legal issues are so complicated in most disability cases that a doctor may inadvertently give the wrong impression. Thus, obtaining medical reports may be something best left for a lawyer to do.

When is the best time for a lawyer to get involved in my case?

Many people wait until it is time to request a hearing before contacting us to represent them. Although everyone agrees that a lawyer’s help is essential at the hearing and the great majority of people who have lawyers win their cases at a hearing, how necessary it is to have the help of a lawyer at the early stages is a subject with arguments on both sides.

More than one-third of those people who apply will be found disabled after filing the initial application without a lawyer’s help. About 15% of those who request reconsideration are found disabled at the reconsideration stage, mostly without a lawyer’s help. If you are successful in handling the case yourself at the initial or reconsideration steps, you will save having to pay attorney’s fees. It is hard to predict which cases may benefit from a lawyer’s help early on.

We never get involved when someone is just filing an application. SSA makes it difficult for a lawyer to do much at this point. As a rule, we won’t get involved in a case until after an initial denial is issued and a legal controversy exists. About once or twice per year, though, a claimant points out to us an obvious (and quite unusual) legal problem with a case. We do consider getting involved in such cases before the initial determination is issued.

If you want us to consider becoming involved in your case at the initial or reconsideration steps, please telephone us to discuss your situation. Otherwise, the best time to call us is as soon as you get the reconsideration denial.

How much do you charge?

Almost all of our clients prefer a “contingent fee,” a fee paid only if they win. The usual fee is 25% (one-quarter) of back benefits up to a maximum amount set by SSA, currently $6,000.00. That is, the fee is one-fourth of those benefits that build up by the time you are found disabled and benefits are paid. No fee comes out of current monthly benefits. In addition to the fee, you will be expected to pay the expense of gathering medical records, obtaining medical opinion letters, etc.