Does anyone know how much attorneys usually charge to help with Social Security Disability Claims? (employment, applying)
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Hello, a dear friend of mine needs to apply for Social Security Disability but needs assistance (his disability is brain damage). Does anyone know how much attorneys usually charge for helping file claims? Is it usually an hourly fee or some percentage of the monthly payments or a combination of the two? Or does it vary from area to area or attorney to attorney? I have always received very helpful, accurate advice from this forum so I decided to ask here before calling a bunch of attorneys. Thanks.
I'm sure it's very much dependent on geographical location. Best bet is to google for qualified attorneys in your area and see what comes up. Has your friend already tried to sign up online for SSDI? The step by step process is very simple and if he can't navigate it by himself then you or someone else could easily help him before enlisting the help of a paid attorney. Good luck!
Anyone can help your friend apply online. We did this in the last few weeks and it was really easy though you need a lot of information to complete all steps. Your friend doesn't need to provide the proof of his illness...SSD will take care of all that leg work. We were advised not to hire an attorney until denial is received.
friend of mine needs to apply for Social Security Disability
As a side note, I'd like to add a story about a firm that helped people file for S.S. Legend has it that they had a practice of unlocking the bathroom door while you were in it (1 person bathroom). I heard they would knock on the door and say, "Anyone in here?" If you didn't yelll loud enough, they opened the door with a key. (The door was not within reach.) So my advice is: don't use the bathroom! (if you're at this place)
The attorneys are usually charging 40% of the initial payment, and since the payment can be usually over $20,000, because the claim is paid back to the date of original filing.
Your friend would be better off taking the paperwork, with all medical to the state employment office, usually people filing for SSDI, are asking for help with medical, there are specialsits there who can help legitimate claims get fast tracked.
If he is a veteran, they have specialists at the VA who will help him.
If a person has a legitimate claim, with the medical documentation, the hearing is a slam dunk. People hear stories of everyone getting denied, that is not correct. Yes, peopel do get denied, with "soft" disabilities, that merit review.
A state vocational rehabilitation agency is also a place he can get help.
The attorneys are usually charging 40% of the initial payment, and since the payment can be usually over $20,000, because the claim is paid back to the date of original filing.
Your friend would be better off taking the paperwork, with all medical to the state employment office, usually people filing for SSDI, are asking for help with medical, there are specialsits there who can help legitimate claims get fast tracked.
If he is a veteran, they have specialists at the VA who will help him.
If a person has a legitimate claim, with the medical documentation, the hearing is a slam dunk. People hear stories of everyone getting denied, that is not correct. Yes, peopel do get denied, with "soft" disabilities, that merit review.
A state vocational rehabilitation agency is also a place he can get help.
There is nothing wrong with filing for benefits first if you want to see if they can be obtained without payment of an attorney's fee.
That being said, allow me to correct some misinformation in this post. Attorney's fees in social security disability cases are limited by law to a maximum of 25%. How do I know this? I'm an attorney who actually has brought a disability benefits claim or two.
No one should assume either that the attorney always gets 25%. In my experience, its very hard to get a fee of 25%. I gave up bringing social security disability cases years ago because I didn't like the fact that the Social Security Administration forced me to file a petition to justify my attorney's fee--sometimes after literally years of work--before I could be paid. I remember I had to take one case through four layers of appeals after the SSA denied the claim before we prevailed. It took about two and one-half years of work. Even so, the SSA cut my fee to 17.5% of what was recovered. I think the total amount I was paid was around $10,000.
I really don't care if people choose to pursue these claims on their own. However, my experience is the SSA will fight tooth and nail in all, but the most clear cut cases (coma or paralysis). The exception would be when someone is quite old and is close to the age where they could claim retirement benefits, than the rules make disability claims just a bit easier.
Anyone who doubts this can check this cite. Look specifically at pages 430-431.
Perhaps I was incorrect on the payment, but I have seen attorneys get around that 25% rule more times than I care to think. Most cases that are slam dunk is legal blindness, terminal cancer, most types of paralysis, some TBI cases, depending on other conditions affected, like vision, fine and gross motor, and memory.
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