The Importance of a Lawyer in a Social Security Disability Claim
by
Jeffrey Eugene Buskirk on Nov. 25, 2014
Summary: This article provides an overview of the things a lawyer typically does for you during your disability claim.
Some social security disability (SSD) and supplemental security (SSI) cases may be won without a lawyer. Many winning cases are lost because there was no lawyer.In preparing for a winning outcome, your attorney should perform the following:
1. Guide you through the process and tell you what to expect;
2. Handle your disability appeals;
3. Determine whether a video hearing is appropriate for this case;
4. Review your medical records to assure that the file is complete;
5. Determine which medical source statements are appropriate for your case;
6. Obtain, with your assistance, medical source statements from your doctors;
7. Obtain notarized affidavits from your friends and family;
8. Advise you how to dress at the hearing;
9. Prepare you for hearing by reviewing questions that will likely be asked by the judge;
10. Prepare a pre-hearing brief for the judge and provide the judge with a theory of the case;
11. Make legal arguments to the judge and develop your case by asking the appropriate questions at the hearings.
1. Guide you through the process and tell you what to expect;
2. Handle your disability appeals;
3. Determine whether a video hearing is appropriate for this case;
4. Review your medical records to assure that the file is complete;
5. Determine which medical source statements are appropriate for your case;
6. Obtain, with your assistance, medical source statements from your doctors;
7. Obtain notarized affidavits from your friends and family;
8. Advise you how to dress at the hearing;
9. Prepare you for hearing by reviewing questions that will likely be asked by the judge;
10. Prepare a pre-hearing brief for the judge and provide the judge with a theory of the case;
11. Make legal arguments to the judge and develop your case by asking the appropriate questions at the hearings.