Have you been injured at work? If you need an SSD attorney, one that knows about social security law, the last thing you want is to end up with a lawyer who doesn’t know what he’s doing. You could end up missing out on big payments.
In this article, we’ll walk you through how to choose an SSD attorney for your case and explain why it’s critical that you do so.
Here’s everything you need to know about options for SSD attorneys.
What Is an SSD Attorney?
An SSD attorney is a specialist in Social Security Disability law. They can help you obtain and maximize the benefits you receive from social security disability.
The American Bar Association has developed a list of factors to help guide you when deciding whether or not to hire an SSD attorney. These guidelines are meant to be used as general benchmarks for hiring lawyers. However, they can be especially useful in helping determine whether or not it is worth it to hire an SSD attorney.
Experience
The American Bar Association suggests that you look for attorneys who have at least ten years of experience in their area of practice and have handled dozens of cases similar to yours during that period. This will ensure that they know how best to proceed with your case and how much time it may take them to resolve it on your behalf.
Compassion
When dealing with such personal matters as financial stability, your attorney must show compassion toward both yourself and those around you.
Competence
When choosing an SSD attorney, seek out one who has received special training in this field. For example, they are knowledgeable about Social Security Programs.
Look for someone versed in both state-run insurance programs (such as Medi-Cal) and federal ones (such as Medicare). This will ensure they can help you maximize your claims.
Ask for Recommendations
If you’re looking for an attorney, the first step is to ask your friends and family for recommendations. If you don’t know anyone who has ever been in a legal situation before (and even if you do), ask them what their thoughts are on attorneys that they’ve worked with.
If this isn’t enough to help narrow down your list of potential attorneys, there are also more formal ways of finding an SSD attorney.
One understated way is to ask your doctor. While many people think of lawyers as being adversarial, most lawyers spend their days doing work that involves helping people who have been injured or faced some kind of injustice at the hands of someone else.
Because of this, many doctors will be able to recommend a good lawyer. This is based on their experiences with treating their patients’ injuries or illnesses.
Ask About Your Attorney’s Education and Credentials
As with any other service, it’s important to ask questions of the attorney you’re considering hiring.
You should begin by asking about their education and credentials. Most disability attorneys have a law degree from an accredited law school. This means they’ve completed a rigorous course of study. This includes classes on subjects like constitutional law, criminal justice, employment discrimination, and constitutional rights under the First Amendment (freedom of speech).
Next, find out whether your prospective attorney is licensed to practice law in your state. If so, make sure he or she is still in good standing with his/her respective bar association.
Finally, ask whether your potential attorney has experience working on SSD cases. If he/she doesn’t currently represent people who receive SSDI benefits, it might be best not to hire him/her.
That is unless there are other reasons why you feel comfortable working with him/her despite that lack of expertise. You’ll also want someone who knows how SSD claims are processed. They should also know what role an independent medical examiner plays within that process, and don’t forget about laws governing SSDI payments!
Get a Solid Understanding of How Your Attorney Bills and Makes Payments
At some point in life, you may need to hire an attorney. This can be for anything from a divorce to representing you in court against your landlord. If you’re planning on hiring an attorney, there are several things that you should think about before choosing one. One of them is how they bill and get paid. Below are three common types of billing methods that attorneys use.
Retainer Fees
The retainer fee is similar to the deposit you’d put down when renting an apartment or buying something online. Factor this in when comparing attorney fees. It’s the amount the client pays upfront so that they have it ready when their case begins. Retainers typically range from $1,000-5,000 (or more).
But some lawyers charge as little as $500 or $1,000 if they know it’ll be simple or short-term. The attorney will keep this money while working on your case and return any unused portion at its conclusion (more often than not).
Contingency Fees
Certain types of lawsuits involving personal injury cases can be brought under contingency fee arrangements where attorneys collect fees only after winning a case for their clients, which means if no recovery is made, then neither party gets paid anything out-of-pocket!
This type of arrangement works best when someone has suffered serious injuries such as brain damage requiring constant medical care until death occurs.
However, because contingency fees don’t always guarantee financial success, chances exist where both parties may end up losing money even after successfully winning such cases due to long wait periods between filing suit and receiving compensation funds.
Trust Your Gut, If It Doesn’t Feel Right, Find Another Attorney
As a general rule, if you don’t trust your attorney, it’s time to find another one. A good attorney will understand if you feel uncomfortable and will help you find a new one by recommending or reading online reviews.
For example, if your or a loved one claims Bipolar Disorder & SSD Benefits, then you must have a lawyer that empathizes with you and understands the condition as well as just understanding the law on what you can and can’t claim.
It’s important that you feel comfortable with your attorney; otherwise, the whole process will be much more stressful than it needs to be.
Choose an SSD Attorney That Works for You
You’ve been injured and are ready to file a workers’ compensation claim. Congratulations! You’re taking the first step toward getting your life back on track.
When you choose an SSD attorney for the first time, however, remember not to rush into anything.
We strongly encourage everyone who needs help filing their case against their employer’s insurer to seek out legal assistance as soon as possible. We also advise taking your time when searching online or asking friends.
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