In addition to improving your chances of success, a disability lawyer may sometimes be able to get your case through the system more quickly, particularly if your health condition is terminal, or if your financial situation is particularly dire (for example, you are homeless, or you have had your home foreclosed upon).
Applicants who retain an attorney are more likely to succeed in an appeal, as most disability attorneys have a great deal of experience in the appeals process. Applicants represented by attorneys are more likely to win in part because the attorneys and advocates at Disability Law understand how to develop the evidence needed for a determination of benefit on the specific medical condition of the applicant.
If you hired an attorney to begin with, that lawyer (or, more likely, a paralegal or an assistant) would help you complete your disability application and supporting documentation in a manner that makes it clear to a claims examiner that your condition meets the Social Security Disability listing, or that you are unable to work due to limitations. Generally, if you have testing results for a serious physical impairment that appear to fit a listing, you may not need to hire a lawyer to assist with your disability application, as long as you are competent at filling it out yourself. If you do not want to wait more than two years to get an appointment for an examination, you may try hiring an attorney for assistance in your initial application.
If you have insufficient medical records, your attorney can also help arrange a breathalyzer test or a test for your ejection fraction before filing your claim, so you have the best possible chances to win the disability award during the initial application phase. Your attorney could also help obtain a letter of reference from your physician, which could make all the difference in the claims process.
Hiring an attorney before filing an application will improve your chances of getting approved, and it can help you avoid the appeals process. You can retain an attorney anytime throughout your application process, but generally speaking, the sooner you retain an advocate for your disability, the better off you will be with your claim. You can retain a disability benefits lawyer at any point in the disability claims process, but you should retain one prior to the hearing stage, so that you are ready to give evidence to the administrative law judge.
Disability attorneys do not need payment until your claims are approved, and they will be paid a percentage of your past due wages at that point, as allowed under the SSA and federal law. A good, qualified social security disability attorney Los Angeles will know exactly how to assist you in both the application and appeals processes.
Compiling the required documentation to prove your disability claim will take some time, and the earlier you begin, the faster you can get your benefits. During your initial application, your attorney can provide guidance about the date you’re asserting you’ve become disabled, make a case that your condition meets one of Social Security’s listed disabilities, and help you focus on facts that will be the most persuasive to Social Security.
