Legal Questions & Answers About Social Security

Unfortunately, the process can be lengthy just as in any other time you are dealing with the federal government. The Social Security Disability claim process is broken down into phases and the duration of each phase can differ. The initial application process can take anywhere from 3-5 months to receive a response. Reconsideration phase is another 3-5 months and getting a hearing with an administrative law judge can take as long as 12-18 months and it only gets worse from there. Having adequate legal representation can greatly decrease the time in which a claim is decided.

Yes, absolutely. The federal government regulates the fees in which a lawyer or legal represent can charge for their services. Fees can only be deducted from Past Due Benefits, never out of a client’s pocket and no upfront retainer fees. This is referred to as a contingency fee agreement.

In August of 2010, a report published by the Office of the Inspector General of the Social Security Administration found that having representation as early as possible significantly improves the likelihood that the disability benefits claim will be approved. We invite you to contact us at any time during the process, but the sooner the better.