20 CFR 404 tells us who is allowed to represent you in your Social Security claim. However, you may ask "Why do you need an attorney on your Social Security disability claim?" Many people think that winning a Social Security disability claim is a simple matter of applying for benefits, perhaps having your doctor vouch for your disability and waiting for the Social Security Administration to issue an approval. The truth is, approximately 85 percent of Social Security disability applicants are denied when they first apply. Of those that are denied, approximately 60 percent of them are awarded benefits by an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) at the hearing level. This is when the process can become complicated and when having an attorney or representative can greatly enhance your chances of winning your Social Security disability claim.
Representation when you need it
Good attorneys and representatives like those here at Rocky Mountain Disability Law Group will be in the business of collecting medical evidence while you wait for your hearing and submitting that evidence to the hearing office on your behalf. A good Social Security disability attorney will also formulate a theory of your case and determine a strategy for winning. At the hearing, your attorney will help you present your case in a way that will help the administrative law judge understand your impairments and how they affect your ability to work. If you are not successful at the hearing level, a good Social Security disability attorney will represent your claim in front of the Appeals Council, where another 20 percent of cases are represented successfully. Finally, if your case is denied by the appeals Council, a good social security attorney will file a complaint with the federal district court in your jurisdiction. Approximately 50 percent of cases filed at the federal district court level are remanded or sent back to judges for another look because of mistakes that were made. The attorneys at Rocky Mountain Disability Law Group are members of a very small subset of attorneys that represent Social Security disability claimants at the federal district court level.
If you have questions about Financial Eligibility & Social Security Disability Insurance, it is a wise idea to talk to a knowledgeable disability lawyer at Whitcomb, Selinsky, PC or its disability arm, Rocky Mountain Disability Law Group today. Conveniently located in downtown Denver, our law firm can be reached at (303) 534-1958 or by filling out our online form.
Joe Whitcomb
