If you believe you are completely disabled from work, you may be eligible to receive Social Security disability benefits, and you need to know your legal options and rights. The application process attorneys at Lawrence & Associates will review your claim, advise you of the likelihood that your application for disability benefits will be approved, and guide you through the application process.
Our application process attorneys have represented the residents of the Cincinnati area through the process of obtaining Social Security disability benefits. We’ve earned our reputation for our expertise in getting applications approved. Our attorneys have represented disability benefits clients before judges in Kentucky, Ohio, and Indiana.
We work hard to assert the rights of Cincinnati residents who apply for Social Security disability benefits. If you are considering applying for Social Security disability benefits or have already filed an application, contact Lawrence & Associates today for a consultation with an application process attorney. You do not have to pay any fees unless we get Social Security disability benefits for you.
Do I Need a Social Security Disability Application Process Lawyer?
If your disability prevents you from working, you may be eligible to receive Social Security disability benefits after you’ve paid into the system for so long. However, the application process is long and complicated, and if you have an experienced application process lawyer behind you, your chances of approval significantly improve.
During the application process, you may be asked to submit to a disability evaluation. Either the person processing your application (for new applications) or an administrative law judge (in cases where you have appealed a denial) will often rely on the results of your disability evaluation to justify approving or denying your application. The Social Security Administration may also appoint a vocational expert to evaluate your limitations and determine whether there are any jobs in the local and national economy that you could perform within your constraints.
Too often, we see applicants being denied benefits when a vocational expert determines that there are jobs that the applicant can perform. An application process lawyer is familiar with the arguments that a disability evaluation expert or a vocational expert makes to argue that your limitations are less than they are or that there are jobs in the market that you can perform within your limitations. An application process lawyer can cross-examine the experts against you and demonstrate the unreasonable nature of their opinions on your capabilities or the jobs you could perform.
The application process is long and confusing. Let the application process attorneys of Lawrence & Associates handle all the paperwork, deal with the Social Security Administration, and argue in favor of your application so that you can have peace of mind to focus on yourself and your family. You never pay up front for our services.
Why Choose Lawrence & Associates to Handle My Social Security Disability Application Process?
If you need a lawyer to help you through the application process, you have many law firms from which to choose. But it is an unfortunate fact that selecting the right lawyer may mean the difference between your application being approved or denied. Not all lawyers and law firms are created equal.
The Social Security application process lawyers of Lawrence & Associates have the experience, skill, track record, and client focus you need in an application process attorney. We’ve helped numerous residents of Cincinnati file successful Social Security applications, and we’ve seen just about every argument made to deny an application, so we know how to expertly refute those arguments. Our attorneys have successfully argued Social Security applications before judges in Kentucky, Ohio, and Indiana.
Finally, we pride ourselves on our focus on delivering exceptional customer service to you, the client. Our attorneys and staff are responsive to your calls and emails, ensuring that you are always informed about the status of your case. We work to provide you with no-nonsense advice as to your legal rights and options so that you can make the best-informed decision about how to proceed with your application.
An application for disability benefits can be granted for a wide variety of disabilities, anything from cancer to musculoskeletal injuries. Disability benefits are often given for back and spinal injuries, vision problems or blindness, loss of use of arms or legs, arthritis, and anxiety or depression.
If you have a condition that is preventing you from being able to work, contact the application process attorneys at Lawrence & Associates today.
First, either you or your attorney files the application for benefits. The application can be filled out online, by phone, or in person at a Social Security Administration field office. The Social Security Administration prefers online applications, which allows you to avoid the wait that goes along with filing at a field office or over the telephone. At Lawrence & Associates , we complete the application for you. You will work with our staff at our office to fill out all the required personal, financial, and medical information on the application. If your application is denied, you can ask for reconsideration. If the reconsideration application is denied, you can then request a hearing before an administrative law judge. If the judge denies your claim, you can request a review by the Appeals Council, which is the last step in the administrative process. If you are still dissatisfied with the decision, your final option is to file a lawsuit in federal court within 60 days of the denial of your application by the Appeals Council.
Our clients typically receive an initial determination within four to six months of filing their application. If your application is denied, and you ask for reconsideration, it can take another four to six months to receive a decision. If you request a hearing before an administrative law judge, you will be put on a waiting listing for a hearing, which is usually about 20 months long. Ultimately, if you decide that you want to appeal the denial of your application all the way to the federal courts, it can take many months more to get a final resolution of your claim. The application process attorneys of Lawrence & Associates will always work as diligently and quickly as the administrative and court systems allow to resolve your application.
At every step of the application process, the Social Security Administration, the administrative law judge, the Appeals Council, or the court is evaluating whether you are disabled on a five-step sequential evaluation. If they determine you are not disabled at any step of the process, the inquiry ends. Step one asks whether you are “performing substantial gainful activity” (Are you employed?). Step two asks if your health problems are “severe.” Step three examines whether your impairment meets or equals an impairment listed in Social Security regulations. Step four asks whether you can perform your “past relevant work.” And finally, step five asks whether you can perform any other work in the national and local economy within your limitations. Most applications fail at step five, which is why it is critical to have an experienced application process attorney who can refute the jobs that are proposed for you to perform.
You do not need an attorney to file or pursue a disability benefits application. However, having one greatly increases your chances of approval. If you decide to take the denial of your application to the Appeals Council or federal court, they will review the previous denial for legal or procedural errors. An attorney will be able to identify those errors for the council or the court.
How much does it cost to hire an attorney for the Social Security disability application process?
By federal law, an attorney’s fees for the application process are set to 25 percent of the back pay in your Social Security disability benefits award, up to a maximum of $6,000. This means that you pay nothing up front to have an application process attorney, and you do not pay anything if your application is ultimately unsuccessful. In very rare cases involving multiple hearings or appeals, your attorney can petition the Social Security Administration to receive a fee greater than $6,000.
We know that people applying for Social Security disability benefits face the prospect of being unable to work. They worry about how to make ends meet if they are denied benefits. That is why the application process attorneys of Lawrence & Associates work tirelessly to ensure that our clients’ applications are approved and that they receive the benefits they deserve and need.
If you are applying for Social Security disability benefits, don’t do so alone. Contact the Cincinnati application process attorneys of Lawrence & Associates at (513) 351-5997 for a consultation to learn about your rights and to let us guide you through the application process.