subject: Have A Disability Lawyer In Chicago Handle Your Social Security Appeal [print this page] If your claim for disability benefits like social security disability insurance (SSDI) and supplemental security income (SSI) has been denied, you may be on the lookout for a disability lawyer in Chicago who can help you through the next part of the process. It may seem like you can accomplish all the steps by yourself, but the Social Security Administration can be a bureaucratic nightmare for the unschooled and unrepresented citizen, which is exactly why you need a Chicago disability attorney to help you from the very beginning.
Disability Defined
When looking for a good disability lawyer in Chicago to get you started on your SSDI or SSI appeal, keep in mind that disability means different things to different people, and also in different parts of the law. When you look at the definition of disability in the Americans with Disabilities Act, it will differ greatly from the definition of disability for the purposes of education law, social security law, and even under the rules and regulations that govern the Department of Motor Vehicles! You need a Chicago disability attorney who is very familiar with social security law, because that is the kind of law that will affect your claim for SSDI and SSI.
Referrals
A good place to start looking for a disability lawyer in Chicago is by asking your friends and family for referrals. This is a good rule of thumb when looking for any attorney, because people who know you personally will want you to work with the best Chicago disability attorney they know. Discuss what kind of case your friend or family member worked on with the attorney they are recommending, keeping in mind that when you hire a disability lawyer in Chicago, you want someone with experience and knowledge in the area of social security.
Another helpful resource when you want to hire a Chicago disability attorney is the local bar association. Call the bar association and ask for their referral service, and dont forget to let them know that you want to hire a disability lawyer in Chicago. The bar association will have a list of members in good standing, and they will be able to point you in the right direction.
Research Your Options
Once youve got a list of potential candidates, its time to interview them. Never hire a Chicago disability attorney without first conducting an interview. Treat this like a job interview; after all, you are hiring this disability lawyer in Chicago to handle a very important job for you, one that your livelihood may depend on. Ask questions about what kind of experience the attorney has dealing with social security. Discuss the process of going through an appeal, and give the attorney a chance to talk about your case. This is a great opportunity to find out how this lawyer views your case, and also to see how she reasons and analyzes a problem. Hire an attorney you can trust and talk to, because nothing is more important to an attorney client relationship than trust and honesty.
