The Americans With Disabilities act is now thirty-one years old!
Are you in need of the benefits that it offers and are thinking about hiring a disabilities lawyer? If you need an SSI disability lawyer you may be wondering exactly how you should go about hiring one and what criteria you should use for selecting your lawyer.
An SSI disability lawyer will form a very important part of your case. You need to ensure that you have the best representation possible. If you have never selected any kind of lawyer before making a decision about who to hire can be a tough one.
Take a look at some of the questions you need to ask an SSI disability lawyer before you hire them.
Why do I Need an SSI Disability Lawyer?
One of the fundamental questions that many people ask even before they hire a lawyer is why do I need one? The benefit of having a social security disability lawyer is that you will be able to know from the beginning whether or not you qualify for Social Security benefits.
The last thing you want to do is to waste your time making a claim that is not valid when you could be applying for something else and get benefits from that instead.
Is the Lawyer a Specialist?
The first thing you need to find out is whether or not your lawyer is a specialist in the disability field. Social Security disability can be very complex. Many regulations will need attention.
Even if a lawyer is generally considered to be quite good at what they do, if they do not specialize in Social Security disability then you can run into problems with your case.
You should get an attorney that belongs to a professional group that represents people who have social security disability cases. A lawyer who understands your case will be able to ask the right questions in and outside of court to ensure that you win your case.
You can find out a lot about an attorney simply by searching online. For example, Nolo allows you to thoroughly search their directory to find out more about lawyers.
You can find a profile about any disability lawyer you are considering. You will be able to see the types of cases that the lawyer has been successful with throughout their career.
You will also see their certifications. This means that there’s no need for you to not be informed before you select a lawyer.
Are they Local?
No matter how good an attorney seems to be if they’re not local you should pass. You need a lawyer that you will have easy access to when you need to discuss your case.
You should not have to travel far to see your lawyer when you need to talk about important matters. While a lot of things can be discussed by teleconferencing some things need to be done in person such as the signing of documents.
You don’t want to have to go out a long way to get simple things like this done.
How Much do they Charge?
The number of fees that your Social Security disability lawyer charges are important. You don’t need an SSI attorney who charges you an exorbitant fee out of pocket.
Social Security disability lawyers all charge the same fee. This is because the fees need to be approved by a Social Security judge. Your Social Security lawyer will only be paid if you get benefits.
The fee that most Social Security lawyers get is 25 percent of any benefits that you may get. After you have received your retroactive benefits and your lawyer takes a fee, any amount of Social Security checks that you receive onwards will be all yours.
If an attorney charges fees upfront this is not a legitimate way to go about getting your disability benefits. It is best to find someone else.
Do they have Good Recommendations?
The recommendations and reviews your SSI lawyer has are very important. You need an attorney that has a track record of excellence.
Attorneys that have a good track record are usually referred by disability advocacy groups. You can find out a lot by simply finding an advocacy group and asking the right questions about any lawyer that you may be considering. You want to make sure that you are dealing with a lawyer that communicates effectively. The last thing you want is to be confused about where you are in the entire process.
This can make applying for Social Security disability benefits frustrating. You need a lawyer that is open to you asking questions and is willing to communicate with you.
Advocacy groups are a great resource if you’re trying to find out more about an attorney or even trying to find one. Even if you don’t reach out to your local advocacy group to help you, just by searching the internet you’ll be able to find other organizations to help.
If you find a lawyer that you are interested in you can find out more about them from your local Legal Aid Center or even your local bar association.
Hire the Right Lawyer
Hiring the right SSI Disability lawyer is the first step in ensuring that you get the disability benefits that you deserve. An experienced attorney will assist you with filing your paperwork and see to it that the legal process is completed. This is an invaluable help when applying for Social Security disability benefits.
Having someone beside you who is qualified and knows what they are doing can significantly reduce your stress and delays in the process.