how to find the best disability lawyer for your case

by Prof. Mikel Weissnat Jr. 4 min read

Setting up a free consultation is probably the quickest way to find a lawyer and figure out if you qualify for disability benefits. You will just need to enter your zip code and answer a few questions about your situation. A disability firm will contact you to arrange a free consultation, to see if they can help you win your case.

There are many ways in which you can go about finding a lawyer or advocate to handle your disability case, including:
  1. Ask a lawyer. ...
  2. Ask family and friends. ...
  3. Free consultation with a disability firm. ...
  4. Your local Bar Association. ...
  5. Ask others who have been through the disability process.

Full Answer

When should I contact a disability lawyer?

Nolo offers a unique directory of disability lawyers that provides a comprehensive profile for each attorney with information that will help you select the right attorney. The profiles tell you about the lawyer's disability experience, education, and fees, and perhaps most importantly, the lawyer's general philosophy of practicing law.

When to hire a disability lawyer?

Nov 30, 2021 · Sometimes your best bet is to hire a disability firm that can help you fill out the application and provide a lawyer if you need to go to an appeal hearing. You can find disability firms in a variety of ways: through a personal recommendation, in a directory, or through a lawyer referral service.

How do I become a disability lawyer?

There are many ways in which you can go about finding a lawyer or advocate to handle your disability case, including: Ask a lawyer. If you have an existing relationship with a lawyer, you can ask that lawyer for a reference to another attorney who has experience with Social Security disability law. Lawyers are sometimes careful when giving referrals, however, because if you …

Should I hire a disability lawyer?

Usually, a disability advocate or attorney receives 25 percent of your disability backpay – up to a maximum of $6,000.If you have a disability or severe ailment and you think you will be out of work for at least 12 months, get a free case evaluation today. When your claim is approved, you will receive backpay.

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Here are some easy ways to find a Social Security Disability attorney for help with your case

Having the right help on a Social Security disability case can easily make the difference between winning and losing a claim for benefits, so deciding the issue of legal representation, and which legal representative will handle your SSD or SSI disability case, is no small matter.

Where Can I Find a Good Social Security Disability Lawyer?

Social Security disability representatives can be found in a variety of different listing sources. The Yellow Pages, the Internet, legal aid clinics, and the referral service operated by each state's bar association are often used to locate qualified disability lawyers and attorneys.

How Should I Select the Best Disability Lawyer for Me?

How do you determine whether an attorney disability representative is especially suited to handle your Social Security disability or SSI disability case? Simple. Contact a representative's office and ask questions. First and foremost, ask if the lawyer has experience in winning disability claims for your medical condition.

Disability Lawyers vs. Nonlawyer Representatives

Good representation at the initial application stage and first two levels of appeal can usually be obtained from an attorney or a nonattorney representative (many of whom are former disability examiners and Social Security claims reps). But for an appeal to the Appeals Council, you'll definitely want to hire a lawyer.

How to find a disability lawyer?

Locating a Disability Lawyer. There are many ways in which you can go about finding a lawyer to handle your disability case, including: Ask your lawyer. If you have an existing relationship with a lawyer (such as one you have used to handle other legal issues), you can ask that lawyer for a reference to another lawyer who has experience ...

How to ask a lawyer about their experience?

The advantage of asking someone who has been through the process before is that they can tell you about their experience working with that particular lawyer (though you do not want to be overly influenced by others' experiences, which are apt to be different than yours). Helpful, objective information that you can ask about include whether: 1 the lawyer was helpful in answering questions and explaining things 2 the lawyer got back to the client in a reasonable amount of time when a message was left, and 3 the lawyer followed through on the deadlines and commitments made to the client.

What is the purpose of the Bar Association?

The Bar Association is intended to provide services and support to lawyers, as well as to those who are in need of a lawyer. Generally, there is a section on the Bar Association website ...

What is phone book?

The phone book provides you with contact information but nothing further. With regards to ads placed on the Internet or in the phone book, lawyers are held to a strict code of ethics for advertisements and may not put false or misleading information in their ads.

How long does a disability last?

To receive disability, the condition must be expected to last a year or longer or it must be expected to culminate in your death. Disability claims can be complicated, and the odds of having a claim approved aren’t always in the favor of the disabled worker. Those who have a disability advocate or a Social Security Disability attorney representing ...

What happens if a claim is denied?

After the claim is denied, you will file a request for reconsideration. Upon the reconsideration review, very few claims are approved. After the second denial, you can request a hearing before an administrative law judge.

What to do if you are unable to work?

If you are unable to work and are seeking disability benefits, there are many ways that a lawyer can help your claim. First off, the key to a successful case is hard medical evidence and other supporting documentation that proves your condition is so limiting you are unable to work.

What happens if you get denied Social Security?

When your initial claim for Social Security disability is denied you will have to go through an appeal process. People who have legal representation at this stage are often more successful in being approved for benefits than those who decide to go on and represent themselves.

Can an attorney represent you at a hearing?

An attorney can represent you at this hearing and will be able to help you prepare for questioning at the hearing. An attorney will be able to determine what kinds of questions you will be asked and will be able to help you determine the best way to proceed with your claim.

How long does it take to get backpay?

You cannot receive backpay for more than 12 months before your application date minus the five-month waiting period. However, it can often take several months to have a disability claim approved and those months are added into the count for backpay.

Do disability attorneys get paid?

Disability attorneys and advocates take cases on the contingency basis. This means that your advocate or lawyer isn ’t paid until your claim is approved and you get disability benefits.

How to contact Myler Disability?

You can call the firm at (800) 245-1430 and get a free consultation. The firm also offers a home or hospital consultation for those who are unable to visit them. 2. Myler Disability. Myler Disability is headquartered in Utah and has a wide network for Social Security Disability attorneys spread across the US.

What is the phone number for Social Security Disability?

You can also call on their phone – 865-337-8474. You can also fill in your contact information and a representative from the firm will get in touch with you. Besides helping with Social Security Disability Insurance, the firm also helps their low-income clients apply for Supplemental Security Income. 6.

What is Premier Disability Services?

Premier Disability Services LLC is a full-serviceSocial Security Disability advocacy firm. The firm employs a staff of more than 200 people to help deal with all types of Social Security Disability issues.

How to contact Jim Adler?

You can call Jim Adler & Associates at 1-866-625-9180 and get a free legal consultation. You can also submit your contact information and a representative of the firm will get in touch with you by phone or email within 24 hours of your submitting the form. 10.

Where is Jim Adler?

Jim Adler & Associates is a Texas law firm that was established more than 40 years ago. The firm has offices in Dallas, Houston, San Antonio and Channel view. Jim Adler & Associates was founded in 1973 by Jim “The Texas Hammer” Adler and now has a team of 14 Social Security Disability Attorneys, Personal Injury Lawyers and Accident attorneys. The firm also has a legal support staff 250 people.

What is heard and Smith?

Heard & Smith comes with more than 30 years of rich experience and specializes in helping the elderly and the disabled. The firm practices in the areas of Social Security Disability, Supplemental Security Income as well as other areas such as Veteran’s Disability, Probate, Estate Planning, etc.

What is Citizens Disability?

Citizens Disability is the country’s premier Social Security Disability organisation. The team at Citizens Disability is led a group of experienced and knowledgeable professionals focused on delivering the best for their clients. The firm deals with all issues related to Social Security Disability – from filing an initial claim right through to the appeals process.

What questions should I ask a lawyer?

You might talk to somebody in the office to get your first round of questions answered. Some initial questions could include: 1 Do you have experience with clients that have [your medical condition]? 2 How many approvals are at the hearing level? 3 What percentage of your cases did you win, gaining your clients their full benefits?

What to do if you can't resolve a Social Security claim?

If you have a Social Security dispute that you can’t resolve on your own, finding a lawyer can be the next step. Since you may not have a lot of experience looking for lawyers—particularly lawyers specializing in Social Security—we put together a guide to help you find the right one for your case.

What is a disability on Social Security?

Social Security disability is for people who have a medical condition that fits Social Security’s definition of a disability. And to qualify, you must have worked in jobs covered by Social Security. 2 In other words, if you never paid into Social Security, you’re not going to get anything out. If you do qualify, you can get monthly benefits checks ...

Can I get Social Security if I can't work?

If you do qualify, you can get monthly benefits checks only if you are unable to work for at least one year because of a disability. 2. If you paid into the system in the past, you can't work for at least a year, and still didn't receive your benefits checks, your disagreement with Social Security probably stems from whether your medical condition ...

What to do if your disability is denied?

If your claim gets denied at the initial application stage, you have the right to appeal the SSA’s decision. This is where an experienced disability lawyer can help you too. They can help you navigate the appeals process and file a request for reconsideration.

What happens if you have never applied for disability?

If you’ve never applied for disability benefits, they will assess your eligibility for disability. But if you’ve already been denied, they will look at what went wrong with your application. The information you’ll provide them about your denied disability is essential.

How to explain disability?

After gathering all the information about your disability, they can formulate a theory for why you are disabled. They will then use this theory to argue that: 1 your condition meets a disability listing 2 you cannot go back to your previous work or engage in any substantial gainful activity 3 your “limitations” prevent you from working 4 you cannot even do a sedentary type of work

What is the SSA disability determination process?

The SSA’s disability determinations process uses an evidence-based approach in granting disability benefits. They will want you to prove that your disability really prevents you from going back to work or doing any type of income-generating activity.

Who is Judy Ponio?

Judy Ponio is a writer for Victor Malca Law P.A. and enjoys helping people with questions about social security, workers compensation, and other serious matters involving people’s livelihood. She is not an attorney and her writing should not be considered legal advice.

Who is Victor Malca?

Victor Malca P.A. has over 25 years of litigation experience in Workers Compensation and Social Security Disability lawsuits. His experience and continued success in fighting for his clients puts among the most trusted workers’ compensation lawyers in Florida. Our area of expertise is in representing injured workers on compensation benefit cases and disabled individuals claim social security disability benefits.

How long does it take to get a disability hearing?

If you filed a request for a disability hearing, you may not hear anything for many months. In fact, most Social Security disability hearing offices are so backlogged with cases that it takes over a year, or more, to get an administrative law judge hearing. However, it is still worth it to check on the status of your case at least once ...

What does a claims rep do?

A claims rep can usually provide a general update on your case, as to where it is in the process, but will not be able to give you much detail on when a decision will be handed down or whether there are any obstacles holding it up.

What is the next level of appeal?

The next level of appeal (in most states) is a hearing before an administrative law judge (ALJ). Once a disability claimant submits a request for hearing, the claim is no longer with the DDS; it has gone to the hearing office, called the Office of Hearings Operations (OHO), where it awaits a hearing date. (This office was formerly called the Office of Disability Adjudication and Review (ODAR).)

What is ALJ hearing?

ALJ Hearing (Second Appeal) The next level of appeal (in most states) is a hearing before an administrative law judge (ALJ). Once a disability claimant submits a request for hearing, the claim is no longer with the DDS; it has gone to the hearing office, called the Office of Hearings Operations (OHO), where it awaits a hearing date.

How to find a lawyer for a lawsuit?

Here are a few other sources you can turn to for possible candidates in your search for a lawyer: 1 The director of your state or local chamber of commerce may be a good source of business lawyers. 2 The director of a nonprofit group interested in the subject matter that underlies your lawsuit is sure to know lawyers who work in that area. For example, if your dispute involves trying to stop a major new subdivision, it would make sense to consult an environmental group committed to fighting urban sprawl. 3 A law librarian can help identify authors in your state who have written books or articles on a particular subject -- for example, construction law. 4 A women's or men's support group will probably have a list of well-regarded family and divorce lawyers.

What is Nolo lawyer directory?

Nolo offers a unique lawyer directory that provides a comprehensive profile for each attorney with information that will help you select the right attorney. The profiles tell you about the lawyer's experience, education, and fees, and perhaps most importantly, the lawyer's general philosophy of practicing law.

How much does a lawyer charge an hour?

Lawyers, of course, are prime sources of this information, but if you bought all the needed information at their rates -- $150 to $450 an hour -- you'd quickly empty your bank account.

What is a lawyer referral service?

Lawyer referral services are another source of information. There is a wide variation in the quality of lawyer referral services, however, even though they are required to be approved by the state bar association. Some lawyer referral services carefully screen attorneys and list only those attorneys with particular qualifications and a certain amount of past experience, while other services will list any attorney in good standing with the state bar who maintains liability insurance. Before you choose a lawyer referral service, ask what its qualifications are for including an attorney and how carefully lawyers are screened.

What can a law librarian do?

A law librarian can help identify authors in your state who have written books or articles on a particular subject -- for example, construction law. A women's or men's support group will probably have a list of well-regarded family and divorce lawyers.

Do lawyers work with you?

Fortunately, many lawyers will work with you to help you acquire a good working knowledge of the legal principles and procedures you need to deal with your problem at least partly on your own. If you are hoping to represent yourself and use a lawyer only for advice, make sure the lawyer is open to that type of set-up.

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