As an attorney who specializes in Social Security disability claims in San Diego and Temecula, I find it helpful for clients to have information regarding why legal representation is beneficial. Statistically, the vast majority of Social Security Disability (SSDI/SSD) and SSI claims are denied at the initial claim and reconsideration levels, and this typically happens regardless of whether or not a claimant is represented by an attorney or non-attorney disability advocate.
For this reason, most SSD and SSI claims will need to go to a hearing in front of an administrative law judge (ALJ) before a claimant can hope to receive disability benefits. It is at the level of an ALJ hearing that having a disability attorney can really help win a claim. While a disability attorney can’t guarantee that a claimant will be awarded Social Security Disability or SSI benefits, a Social Security lawyer can guarantee that a case will be properly “developed” prior to a hearing date.
Developing a Disability Case
The simple fact of the matter is this: the vast majority of SSDI and SSI claimants will have no idea how to properly and thoroughly prepare a disability case for a hearing, whereas an attorney has a high level of familiarity and expertise with Social Security rules and regulations. And, in many cases, an attorney will have several years of invaluable SSDI and SSI claim experience to lend to a claimant’s disability case. The attorney will know what a judge will be looking for with a particular medical condition, and will know what questions to ask your doctor.
Because disability attorneys get paid on contingency (only if you win), they do a great many things to ensure that an SSDI or SSI claim will have the best chance of winning. This includes tracking down important medical records and test results, obtaining detailed statements from a claimant’s treating physicians, and, at the time of the hearing, applying a thorough understanding of SSA regulations and prior rulings to the disability adjudication process.
If you have further questions regarding your case or your ability to qualify for Social Security Disability in San Diego or anywhere in California, please feel free to contact our office.
