If you are suffering from a disability, either physical or mental, there are a number of things that you should bear in mind when deciding when, or if, you should hire a lawyer to help you with your claim. With the backlog and the number of claims that are initially denied, it can take several months, up to two years, from the start to finish of the process. The big mistake that claimants make is leaving it to the last minute to hire a Social Security lawyer in Oak Ridge. If you are planning to claim for benefits, you should hire an accomplished lawyer sooner rather than later.
While it is true that some claimants do win their case without the help of a lawyer, statistics don’t lie. It has been proven time and time again that claimants who are represented are far more likely to win their claim than those that are not represented. A Social Security lawyer in Oak Ridge knows the laws, he or she knows the proper way to present the facts and how to handle a hearing.
The stages of appeal:
Seventy five percent of all claims for disability benefits are denied. The claimant has 60 days in which he or she can appeal. The first step on the appeals ladder is a request for reconsideration, the chances of being approved at this stage are even worse than the initial application. The next stage is a request for a hearing in front of an Administrative Law Judge.
It is during the hearing that a Social Security lawyer in Oak Ridge is most helpful. As hearings are held reasonably close to the claimant’s home, local Social Security lawyers are familiar with the judges and what it is that the judge invariably focus on. Hearings are not adversarial; the government has no lawyer although they do bring in expert witnesses to speak on behalf of the government. A seasoned Social Security lawyer in Oak Ridge knows how to cross examine these experts, bring salient points to the fore.
The earlier you hire a Social Security lawyer in Oak Ridge the sooner the lawyer can begin to put together facts that can have a positive impact on the outcome of your disability claim. You are invited to a free evaluation of your case; please contact the Law Offices of Miller & Drozdowski, P.C.
