How I Can Help You
Social Security law may be unique when compared to the traditional attorney-client relationship. In most areas of law, the attorney does almost all of the legwork. With Social Security, the client takes on the work of filing the application and acquiring some medical evidence. At the appeal stage, the dynamic shifts and begins to resemble the traditional attorney-driven relationship. With so much responsibility on the client, you may be asking yourself, why should I hire an attorney at all? Can’t I handle my claim myself?
For a number of people, it may be feasible for them to handle their own claim. If you have a straight-forward diagnosis of an illness that fits neatly into an existing canon of medicine and have clear evidence of the condition and the disabling impact it has on your life, you may be able to deal directly with the Social Security Administration.
Unfortunately, for some people with valid disability claims, complicating factors may make working with an attorney advisable. Your claim may have one or more of the following complicating factors:
- Disabling condition came on gradually, over an extended period of time
- Disabling condition is controversial
- Client has experienced treatment failures
- Condition is relapsing and remitting
- Patient was told the disabling condition was psychogenic
- Disabling condition is difficult to diagnose
According to the insurance industry news service InsuranceQuotes.org, the most difficult to diagnose ailments are:
| 1. ALS 2. Fibromyalgia 3. Lupus 4. Crohn’s Disease 5. Cushing’s Disease 6. Celiac Disease 7. Chronic Fatigue Syndrome |
8. Lyme Disease 9. Parkinson’s Disease 10. Depression and Bipolar Disorder 11. Hypothyroidism 12. Multiple Sclerosis 13. Mesothelioma |
If any of the above or other complicating factors is present in your case, you may wish to have an attorney assist you with your claim and represent you should your claim require an appeal and hearing.
At The Hearing
Whatever the nature of your case – straightforward or complex – if you find yourself facing an appeal, you may wish to have an attorney represent you at your hearing. This is where I feel I can do the most good for my clients. The rules of the Social Security hearing room may be less stringent than traditional court rooms. Nonetheless, the setting can be unfamiliar and even intimidating. Even the most savvy applicant may need help navigating through this foreign territory.
I can help you in the following areas:
- Preparing evidence for trial
- Submitting pre-hearing and post-hearing documents and briefs
- Helping you tell your story with effective direct examination
- Cross-examining medical and vocational experts
- Linking evidence of your condition to the law
- Presenting your case in the best possible light to the decision-maker
