subject: Social Security Disability Appeal Advocates [print this page] If you go to a Social Security Disability hearing and you are unrepresented by an attorney or an advocate, you could end up setting yourself up for some unseen circumstances that could really weigh on your ability to get the coverage that you need.
Here is a very strong argument that you may not have heard before when it comes to getting adequate representation from disability advocates, and it happens to be based on experience from advocates that have been in the business for well over a decade.
A disability advocate was contacted by a claimant that was denied during their SSDI hearing. Advocates obtain a copy of the recording of the hearing process, as all SSDI hearings are recorded for just this reason. When the advocate listened to the audio tape, he noticed a few things that stood out immediately as proof that having an advocate on your side can really make a difference.
The hearing in question lasted less than a total of ten minutes, despite the fact that the average hearing typically goes for at least thirty minutes. When a hearing doesn't even take twenty minutes, red flags are thrown up.
During the hearing in question, the judge never made an effort to advise the claimant that she had a right to fair representation.
Finally, the judge didn't take the time to ask the claimant about any recent medical treatment since her initial application, nor did he try to gather any updated medical information so that her record could be updated, meaning that the SSA did not have her most recent information on file, and was lacking evidence that could have helped her in this process.
If this claimant had an attorney or another representative with her, this would not have been allowed to happen. She would have had someone on her side who could have informed her of her options, and made sure that the judge had all of the pertinent information, old and new.
From here, then, you have a choice between two options. There are advocates that will work to represent the claimants, or you have the choice to choose an attorney to hire, for this you can choose a lawyer that mainly handles these claims or one who is not a specialist in this line of law.
Neither of these options can provide you with a guarantee that they will be successful in securing the benefits that you are making the application for. This legal representation will guarantee that you will be ready for your hearing and properly prepared. One of the most important things you can do when you apply for SSDI benefits is use these experts because they will know what and how to look for things that is in the best interest to your case.
There is no reason not to come equipped with an advocate on your side when applying for SSDI or appealing a decision regarding your SSDI and SSI benefits. Having someone on your side that knows what they are doing is the best way to ensure that you are prepared when applying for or appealing a Social Security Disability Insurance decision.
