This information may help claimants with representation, as well as claimants who are not represented by an attorney or non attorney representative. Understanding how the Social Security Disability system works can make the difference between winning or not winning the continuing ssd or ssi disability benefits and backpay to which a person is entitled. |
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No, an individual who is pursuing either social security disability or ssi disability benefits is not required to obtain representation via a disability lawyer or non attorney representative. And, in fact, at the initial claim and reconsideration levels (in some states, the recon step has been suspended), there is often little for a claimant's representative to do (having said that, though, many claimants will still benefit from representation at these lower levels simply to avoid the burden of completing appeal paperwork and making followup status calls to either the social security office or to Disability Determination Services). Probably the best advice to follow is this: if you are only at the initial claim level (the application for ssd or ssi), get someone to handle your case...or not. Because if your case is approved, the need for representation will be a moot issue. However, if your disability claim is denied, go ahead and find a lawyer or non attorney rep, because, most likely (going by the statistics) you'll end up, at some point, in front of an administrative law judge. And to do so without representation is never a good idea. Disability Advocates Help with Claims Free Case Evaluation |
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SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY ATTORNEY, REPRESENTATIVE LAWYER LIST ANSWERS TO YOUR SSD & SSI QUESTIONS PAGE 1 ANSWERS TO YOUR SSD & SSI QUESTIONS PAGE 2 |
| Social Security Disability, SSD and SSI How to apply for and win disability |