You can have a lawyer help you with Social Security. The Social Security Administration will work with your representative just like they would with you.
To protect you, your representative usually can’t charge you a fee without getting written approval first. However, they can accept your money in advance if it’s held in an escrow or trust account.
However, both you and your lawyer need to provide accurate information. If you knowingly give false information, it could lead to serious legal trouble for both of you.
What Does a Social Security Lawyer Do To Help People Get Approved?
Once you choose a representative, they can help you in several ways:
- They can get information from your Social Security file.
- They can assist you in gathering medical records or other details to support your claim.
- They can attend any interviews, meetings, or hearings with you, but they can’t testify in your place at a hearing.
- They can request a reconsideration, a hearing, or an Appeals Council review.
- They can help you and your witnesses get ready for a hearing and ask questions to any witnesses.
Your representative will also receive copies of any decisions the Social Security Administration makes about your claim.
They Help Speeding Up the Process
One of the key ways Social Security lawyers can help is by speeding up the process.
While there’s no way to officially make a case go through faster, having an experienced Social Security disability lawyer can help applicants avoid mistakes. Those errors could cause big delays for those who aren’t familiar with the process.
They Help Get First Round Approval
Many people wait until their application is denied and think about appealing before talking to Social Security lawyers.
However, the best time to get help is actually before they apply.
Why? Because the initial application process usually takes a few months, but appeals can take over a year.
By hiring a Social Security lawyer early, applicants can get help with:
- Filling their application correctly to show that they meet the Social Security Administration’s medical criteria for approval.
- Clearly proving that they cannot do any work that earns income.
- Gathering the medical evidence needed to support their claims.
- Working with their doctors to use the specific medical terms that the Social Security Administration looks for.
- Getting faster processing if they have a terminal illness.
They Help With First Round Denial
Over half of all initial applications for Social Security are denied.
If this happens, applicants should quickly start talking to Social Security lawyers to find one that suits their needs.
Every applicant can—and should—appeal a denial, and having a trusted lawyer can help in several ways:
Social Security lawyers can assist by:
- Requesting an OTR (On the Record) decision, which is a favorable ruling from a judge before a hearing.
- Writing a detailed brief explaining how your case meets the requirements for benefits.
- Getting answers to medical questions from doctors who understand your condition.
- Drafting a proposed decision for the judge to approve easily.
- Helping prove the details of your case and when your condition began.
- If your application is denied again, you can appeal and have your case reviewed by a judge.
How to Get a Social Security Attorney?
Remember that you cannot pick someone legally prohibited from acting as a representative or who has been suspended or disqualified from representing others in the past.
Find an attorney who can help with the legal services. But you need to keep these things in mind –
- You can appoint one or more people from a Social Security law firm or organization as your attorneys. However, you cannot appoint an entire firm or organization, even if they are part of the same group.
- After you choose an attorney, you must inform SSA in writing as soon as possible. Use the standard form called Claimant’s Appointment of a Representative (SSA-1696).
- You can find this form on SSA’s website at www.ssa.gov/forms/ssa-1696.pdf or at your local Social Security office.
- Your attorney must provide you with a copy of their fee request and any related documents. If you disagree with the fee they are asking for, contact SSA within 20 days of receiving the request.
- SSA will review the value of your attorney’s services and inform you in writing about the fee your attorney is allowed to charge.
- If you disagree with the fee that SSA authorizes, you must notify SSA in writing within 30 days of the authorization date.
Social Security Lawyers Provide the Best Chance for Approval
In simple terms, Social Security lawyers give applicants their best shot at getting approved.
Many people feel like the Social Security Administration tries to push them through the system until they give up, especially when applying for disability benefits.
A disability attorney ensures everything is done correctly and acts as the applicant’s strongest supporter.