SSI Atty Q?

I want/need to apply for SSI... Currently on unemployment so I can TRY to pay monthly bills... But wanna start finding an attorney to help me... How should I find one? Any advice would be great.

Hi, this is Kathy/nini, when you get a lawyer make sure you get a local one.  I found mine in the back of a newspaper I used to get.  I live in Maryland, so I only know how Md. works, but I do think that SS is a federal thing right?, they have guide lines they have to follow.

This is just my opinion, but if you want to win, get a lawyer, you will never win your case without a lawyer, even if you have limbs hanging off and can use your hands, and blind, deaf, and mute.  My point is they are very difficult to win without a lawyer.  I applied twice and was turned down, the third time was a charm, because I got a lawyer, a lawyer who only does SSI, or SSDI cases.  I dont know where you are but in this area, Md., D.C. and VA, they are everywhere, you cant watch tv without a lawyer telling you to "let them take care of the government, you have to take care of yourself".  Yeah a real heard bleeder huh? but thats the way it goes.

The 3rd time I gave lawyer all my records from my doctor, he informed me he would take the case, (if they dont take your case, you wont win, they only get paid if you win), so if the lawyer takes your case you can be 98.9% sure you will win.  I only saw the man one time before the hearing, he told me what they would probably ask me and what to answer.  The next day we were in a room with about 10 men myself and my lawyer, the big cheese at the head of the table asked me a series of questions, which I answered as my lawyer told me to.  By the way the answers were all truth, nothing was made up or exaggerated.  I finished, got up thanked all and left.

Approximately 2 weeks later, I received my award letter, which stated I would receive money from the first time I had applyed, I would also receive a check for my youngest daughter who was not 18 yet, and continued to receive those checks until she turned 18, at which time I let them know she had turned 18 by mail and over the phone, which they already knew, but still, I thought I wanted to let them know myself.  My lawyer signed me up for Medicare, gave me phone numbers to call for extra help with food and what ever, as the amount of money you receive monthly is not enough to pay the rent.  He also sent me $2000.00 that the Social Security people had wrongly sent him.  The man was wonderful.

So look in your area, see if you can find someone who has done business with a lawyer you might be thinking about hiring.  If not, then do your best to get a good read about the person, he is going to be the person between you and your financial future.  If you are in my area, I will gladly give you the name of the lawyer I used, I have given his name to many people over the years, the man is honest, at least he was 12 years ago.

Good luck, I wish you well, take care,

Kat

Donna, when I worked I was a paralegal and we handled SSD claims on our clients that were not able to return to any kind of work. We always had the client make the initial application and after they were denied we became involved. I am in Tx and all the attys here worked it the same way.

We handled cases on a contingency Contract only, meaning you paid no money up front. I would tell anyone, do not give some lawyer your money up front, it will not make him work any harder on your behalf.

Always keep a copy of everything you send to SS too, may as well make your own folder up for this. Keep a copy of all of your medical records too. Keep a copy of any of the forms you fill out & send to SS too, you may need to look at those forms again later on to see how you answered something.

Stay away from the attys that sit around and toot their horn on how good they, the ones that advertise on tv, we call them tv guide attys, lol. They are not worth shooting. With them it is a numbers game on getting so many new clients a month, they have no idea who their clients are or what their case it about.

Look for an atty that specializes in SSD claim locally. Do not hire someone that is not local, you need someone that you can go into their office and sit down and see them eye to eye. If you cannot find someone that specializes in SSD, then look for someone that has a high percentage of SSD cases over everything. You do not want someone that does traffic tickets, car wrecks, criminal cases, divorces, in other words someone that is a jack of all trades & master of none, stay away from that kind. Be bold, ask how many SSD cases he handles.

You can find this info out online in your own town. If you need to go to a town next to you to get someone thats ok. Just keep it so that you have access to his/her office.

You had asked about filing for SSD and receiving UI at the same time. When you file for UI you are stating that you are physically capable of working. To be eligible for SSD you have to be disabled 12 month or will be disabled for 12 consecutive months to be entitled to it. SSD has a computer program that picks up key words on all paper work that is sent to them.

As I told Badheart that most likely someone that is getting UI is going to end up having to go to a hearing before an ALJ and have to explain why they said they could work and say on their forms to them they cannot work, plus come to an agreement on any date of disability if it is awarded by the judge. Hearings can take a minimum of a year before getting to that point in many states.

Hope this helps you some.

Oh ya, and I am in Washington State... Just north of Seattle. I will look in the phone book I guess.... See what I can find...
I have read the SSI info a lot, think I should get approved based on my conditions... At some point.. But I see a lot of people getting denied and just nervous.

Hi my name is David I filed for ssi and was denied and i appealed 3x before the judge awarded me the full blown social security. I wrote letters to the governor and even emailed obama. you may not have to do all this but I went as far as i could go and got it. no lawyer needed

Donna the list you are talking about is conditions that they accept as far as being disabled goes. No one can really say if it makes a difference one way or the other. Keep in mind that a very high percent of people are denied on their initial application. Many times this is due to the the SS office not having all of the information they need, such as medical records from all of your drs and things of that nature. I have seen that happen more times than you would think. You can list more than one thing too, besides chronic pain, list it all if you have it, just be honest.


Take care.