Hiring A Social Security Attorney For An Appeal
Have you recently tried to apply for Social Security benefits on your own, only to receive a denial letter? Are you interested in appealing the decision, but have no idea where to start? Hiring a Social Security attorney may be the answer you are looking for. A Social Security attorney specializes in handling denials and appeals, and can help increase the chances that your appeal will be successful. Believe it or not, going through the appeals process can actually increase the chances that your Social Security application will eventually be approved. But what are some things you should expect when hiring a Social Security attorney to handle your appeal?
Multiple Levels of Appeals
There are four different levels of appeals that a consumer can be represented by a Social Security attorney at. These levels of appeals are:
- Request for reconsideration: this level is a complete review of the initial claim. There are two options at this appeals level - a reconsideration of the original claim and a reconsideration of a continuing disability claim.
- Administrative Law Judge hearing: this level will result in the case being heard in front an administrative law judge within 60 days of the denial.
- Appeals Council: appeals at this level are reviewed by an Appeals Council, who will look for a flaw in the decision made by the administrative law judge. This is the final step before taking the Social Security Administration to court.
- Federal court review: this level requires the filing of a lawsuit against the Social Security Administration in federal court. A federal judge will hear the disability case and make a final decision.
Complete Examination of Medical Records
Once you have hired a Social Security attorney, expect to have them examine all of your medical records, specifically those relating to your disability. At this point, the attorney will be looking for any additional information that may be needed to make your case. They could recommend that you submit to additional testing or that you seek an opinion from another doctor in order to strengthen your case. The attorney will then work on submitting the medical records to the court and contacting any physicians that they feel could strengthen a case by testifying.
Preparing Clients for Questioning
One huge advantage of hiring a Social Security attorney is that they understand the legal process and know what type of questions their client can expect to be asked. Because of this, the attorney can work with the client to answer questions without appearing nervous, decreasing the chances that they may accidentally say something that could hurt the case.
If you feel that a Social Security attorney can help you win your case, consider meeting with a few in your area like Todd East Attorney at Law. Most will work on a contingency basis, and accept a portion of any back payment as their fee. This gives you nothing to lose, and almost everything to gain.
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