If you’ve become disabled, you’re likely going through a lot of life changes in a very short amount of time. Disabilities have the power to impact virtually every aspect of life, including your employment. Depending on your disability, you may find yourself unable to work for an extended period of time. This can make your financial situation tenuous at best. Fortunately, Social Security Disability may be able to make up for some of your lost income. Of course, navigating these programs can be pretty tough to do on your own. You may find it most helpful to retain the services of a Social Security disability lawyer. Before you finalize your agreement, however, there are some important questions you should ask them.
What Experience Do You Have?
One of the first things you need to know about any lawyer before you retain them is what experience they have. There are a ton of different legal disciplines, and while one lawyer may be the best at their own discipline, that doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re going to be very good at a different one. There’s a reason they specialize, after all. If you’re hiring a lawyer because you need help with your Social Security disability claim, you need to find one who specializes in exactly that. You should be able to do that with a quick Google search.
Once you have a list of attorneys who look like they could be good options, ask more about the level of experience they have. A specific specialty doesn’t necessarily equate to experience. Ideally, the lawyer will have experience with your specific disability as well. The more experience a lawyer has and the more success they’ve had with their cases, the better your chances of having a similarly successful experience with your claim.
How Do You Charge for Your Services?
It’s important to know upfront how you will be charged. Keep in mind that it can change based on whether your claim is approved or denied. Knowing ahead of time how much to expect to pay your lawyer depending on how your case goes will help you avoid being blindsided by fees. That said, if your claim is approved the Social Security Administration caps the amount a SSDI lawyer can charge at no more than $6,000. They can charge up to 25% of the back pay you would get, up to that $6,000 limit. In most cases, this payment is automatically deducted from your back pay and sent to the lawyer so you don’t have to worry about making the payment yourself.
What Do I Need to Do?
There are multiple things your lawyer needs to prove for your case. While your lawyer will be the one doing the lion’s share of the work for your claim, there are some things you can do to help things along. The best way to figure out what you need to do is ask. Your lawyer can advise you on what documents need to be gathered, which you can then deliver to them. It is likely that they will recommend that you receive regular medical care and tell you that it is important to follow the advice given to you by any medical professionals you see.
What If My Claim Is Denied?
It isn’t uncommon for claims to be denied initially. As few as one third of claims are approved from the beginning. That means that the odds of you getting your claim denied the first time around are pretty high. Asking what happens if your claim is denied will help you be prepared in the event that it happens to you. Ideally, your lawyer will examine the decision to see if you have grounds for an appeal and then move forward with the appeals process. Not all lawyers will, so finding one that does is important.
How Can I Reach You?
This might seem like a silly question, but knowing what to expect when it comes to contacting your lawyer is important. Some may prefer that you contact them directly. Others prefer to have their clients go through another member of their team. It’s also a good idea to know what their preferred method of communication is, whether it’s via phone call, text, or email. Ask them what their timetable is like for getting back to their clients. The more clearly you can communicate and establish what expectations are, the better you will work as a team to manage your claim.
Navigating the ins and outs and nuances of a social security disability claim on your own can be incredibly challenging. Having an experienced, qualified lawyer on your side can help the process go more smoothly and help you get a better result. Make sure you ask the right questions so you can feel confident that the lawyer you choose to retain is going to be a good fit for you and your case.