When Do I Hire a Disability Lawyer?

If it is looking like you won’t be able to work for a long time, you should consider hiring a disability attorney to help you receive funds from your Social Security account. Hiring a Social Security lawyer can significantly increase your chances of having your case approved.

Understand the Cost Involved

Before you hire a disability lawyer, it is important to understand that the benefits of having a lawyer represent your case can come with certain costs. For cases involving Social Security, the costs are fairly straightforward. Federal law dictates the fees disability attorneys can charge, which is usually either 25 percent of your disability back pay or $6,000, whichever is less. Little to no money is ever required up front, and the lawyer will only charge you a fee if you win your case. Please remember that if your case goes to the Appeals Council or federal court, your costs can increase.

When Should I Call a Lawyer?

Generally speaking, the earlier you can involve a lawyer in the disability process, the better. Here at Morgan & Morgan, we offer free consultations to anyone who is considering filing for disability. During our consultation, we will help you to evaluate the strength of your case and give you advice on the best course of action. Once you choose to hire us, we can assist you with every step of the process from your initial application to the final settlement.

If you have gone through the initial application process on your own and received an initial denial, you should decide to involve a disability attorney before going further. You will improve your chances of success overall, and our attorneys can try to help your case to move more quickly through the system. This can be crucial if your medical condition is terminal or your financial situation is dire. Please remember that there is no guarantee that your case will move more quickly with legal representation; the majority of claimants must wait for many months or even years for their case to resolve even if they have a lawyer on their side.

The only time you do not need to call a lawyer in the disability process is when you have submitted your initial application to Social Security and are waiting for an answer. In these cases, Morgan & Morgan law firm actually recommends that you wait to hear Social Security’s decision before attempting to hire a lawyer.

Lee Paulk Morgan

Lee Paulk Morgan

With more than 41 years of experience in the areas of Bankruptcy, Disability, and Workers’ Compensation, Lee Paulk Morgan is one of the most respected Bankruptcy and Disability attorneys in Athens, Georgia. His tireless dedication to serving clients has gained him the reputation of a premier attorney in his areas of practice, as well as the trust and respect of other legal experts, who often refer clients to him.