Many people become disabled every year and need to apply for social-security benefits. If you are considering filing for disability, you might be wondering if you should hire an attorney. As a general rule, you should consider hiring an attorney because doing so will help with the outcome and ensure that you get the benefits that you deserve. Here are a couple things you need to know about filing for disability.
1. Many Claims Are Denied the First Time
One thing that many people don't understand is that an alarmingly high number of disability claims are denied the first time for reasons that have nothing to do with the merits of the applications. Instead, the application may have been filled out incorrectly or could have been rejected on a simple technicality. Many of these applications are not even submitted for a medical review.
If you have been injured and need disability money, you probably won't know the ins and outs of filing a claim. Instead, you may simply fill out the paper work and hope for the best. However, the social-security offices are very stingy about how they distribute their funds, which is why it is best to hire someone so that you don't waste a lot of time and resources to file a claim that is only going to be denied.
2. Many Attorneys Work on Contingency
One reason why you may be worried about hiring an attorney is the money doing so would cost. Obviously, if you are applying for disability benefits, you are dealing with financial troubles, and your attorney understands this. They know that you may not be able to pay an hourly fee for their services, which is why may choose to charge on a contingency basis. What this means is that they will take your case and represent you without getting paid up front. Then, if you win the claim, the lawyer will take a percentage of your claim as payment.
This is a great option for many people because it has no risk to you. If your claim is denied, you owe nothing to the attorney. Then, if your claim is accepted and you receive benefits, the attorney will simply take their fee off the top, and the rest will be yours.
This is why you should consider meeting with an attorney to discuss your options. They will let you know if you have a good case and if it is worth filing a claim. Look at firms such as Horn & Kelley, PC Attorneys at Law to find an attorney who is a good fit for you.
Share17 August 2016
