If you’re unable to work long-term due to injury or illness, you probably want to apply for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) payments to help you make ends meet. While you’re not required to hire an attorney to represent you at any stage of the process, having an experienced disability lawyer on your side during the process offers several advantages.
They Help You Understand the Process
Disability law is complex and can be difficult to understand, so one of the biggest benefits of hiring a lawyer is to take advantage of their thorough knowledge of the law. Disability attorneys understand what medical evidence you need to have the best chance of getting approved for SSDI.
If you haven’t filled out your application yet, your attorney can go over all of your documentation and help you present your disability in the best possible way to prove that you can no longer work. Your lawyer might also suggest additional tests to show the extent of your disability.
Leaving out irrelevant information is just as important as submitting your application with all of the necessary information. An experienced disability lawyer can help you filter out anything you don’t need to include, either because it isn’t relevant to your claim or because it could hurt your case. Your lawyer will also help you keep track of time so you aren’t denied because of missed deadlines.
They Get Information From Medical Providers
Some disability applicants find that getting the necessary medical records and forms is a difficult task. Not all doctors and surgeons are willing to help patients apply for disability, either because they don’t feel they have time, because they’re not sure how the process works and don’t want to make mistakes, or because of their personal feelings about SSDI in general or the patient’s specific disability.
Hiring an attorney means any communication with your doctors’ offices can go through your lawyer’s office. This increases the likelihood that your doctors will cooperate since your attorney will only ask for the records and forms necessary for your claim and can answer any questions medical professionals have about the disability process.
They Guide You Through Hearings
Even if you’ve already started the process, hiring a lawyer can be a good move since many applicants are denied on their initial application.
If you’re denied SSDI after your first application, your attorney can help walk you through the appeals hearing process, which can be intimidating and difficult to handle on your own. Most lawyers who take disability cases have worked many similar cases successfully in the past, so they’re familiar with the Administrative Law Judges in your area and any patterns or personal preferences they have.
Your lawyer will also help prepare you for answering questions during your hearing and cross-examine any vocational experts hired by the Social Security Administration to testify about what work they believe you can do. This is important because if a vocational expert states they believe you are able to work, it’s very unlikely the judge will approve your claim.
They Increase Your Chance of Winning Your Case
The bottom line is that you have a better chance of being approved for disability if you hire an attorney. According to one study, 60 percent of applicants who hired lawyers were approved for disability, while only 34 percent without attorneys were approved.
Most disability attorneys don’t require upfront payment – instead they’ll take a portion of whatever back pay you’re awarded if you win your case. This helps people have the best chance of winning their cases, regardless of current income.
The Madden Law Firm Attorneys At Law have several offices throughout Arkansas to assist you. Contact us for a consultation regarding your disability case.
