Posts under ‘Working with Lawyers/Attorneys’

Maybe you have moved out of state and had to get a new lawyer on your Social Security disability case. Maybe you fired your lawyer. Maybe your lawyer fired you. But now, you have to find a new lawyer!
What is going to happen to the attorney fees?
Do I have to pay both lawyers?
There are two [...]

Meet the most expensive “associate” in most law firms.  More expensive than a regular lawyer.  More expensive than the named partner.  It’s … the photocopier.
I was recently reviewing the charges for a one of my clients who was previously represented by a national law firm.  Do you know how much they were charging for copies? [...]

I came across this video for a home study course to become representative in Social Security disability cases.
That’s right. A Home. Study. Course.

Do you want to be represented on your Social Security disability case by someone who took a home study course?
Is there a price difference between hiring a lawyer and a non-lawyer representative?
Nope.  The [...]

Here is a frequent question:
When should I hire an attorney to help me on Social Security disability benefits case?
Imagine you are skydiving for the first time.  Would you wait until you are in the plane going up for your first jump before asking how to open the parachute?
You may already know that many attorneys will not take [...]

Did you represent yourself at your Social Security disability hearing?
If you were denied, you may find it is difficult to find a lawyer to represent you if you 
Sadly, this is a common problem.  It is much harder to hire an attorney after you been denied.
Why?

I have previously written about how Social Security (usually) pays your lawyer directly if you win your Social Security disability case.
But did you know that Social Security charges to do this.  The Florida Social Security Disability Blog (in my old stomping grounds of Ocala and Gainesville), discusses the Social Security “user fee.”
The Social Security Act [...]

Once you hire an attorney to represent you on your Social Security case, you may find that Social Security does not want to release any more information to you.  This is especially true at the Social Security ODAR (Office of Disability Adjudication and Review) offices.  
Don’t worry, there is nothing nefarious going on.  
It is [...]

The one thing people are most surprised about when they go to a hearing is that the lawyer does not do all of the talking. In fact, it is the claimant (aka “you”) who has to answer the Judge’s questions.  I hear a lot of questions and comments about this.  
I went to my hearing and [...]

Pop Quiz: Do you save money by waiting to hire a lawyer/attorney until your hearing is scheduled?
Answer:  No.
In a normal Social Security contingency fee agreement, you pay the same amount whether you hire an attorney a year before the hearing, or a week before the hearing.
Most Social Security disability cases are taken on a contingency fee [...]

There are times when dealing with a large company is great: buying a car, for example. You do not want to be working with “Joe’s Car Hut.”
But any legal matter, especially a Social Security disability claim, needs a personal touch.
As a lawyer handling Social Security cases in Colorado, I have heard many people [...]

Social Security lawyer Jonathan Ginsgerg has a great article about when NOT to fire your attorney and some of the unexpected consequences of kicking your lawyer to the curb!
A good point Jonathan brings up is that you may have a hard time finding a new lawyer willing to take your case:
Many lawyers are reluctant to accept [...]

One of the hardest parts about getting help on a Social Security case is finding the right person to work with.
What if i hire a lawyer and they don’t do anything?
What if I am not happy with the lawyer?
I don’t want to be stuck with a big bill.
Fortunately, Social Security takes a lot of [...]

Social Security fee agreements take one of two forms:

Contingency based: If you win, the attorney gets 25% of your back benefits up to a $5,300 $6,000 cap. The “25% or $5,300 $6,000″  fee agreement is a standard fee agreement that Social Security will almost always approve if the case is won and results in back benefits.
Fee [...]

I have tried to give you as much information as I can about Social Security overpayment / repayment cases, because the chances of finding an attorney to work with you are not very good.
Many Social Security attorneys get paid out of the back benefits they win for the client (typically 25% up to a cap of [...]

What is the number one question people ask when looking to hire a lawyer?
How many cases do you win?
But, this will only give you a meaningless answer. Here’s why: