Should I hire a lawyer

[beaches]

What is the name of your state? New Jersey

Back in the beginning of Dec. my doctor told me to apply for SSDI benefits which I did in January. I have been having a hard time with the woman in his office submitting information to the insurance company, now I find out today that she never submitted anything for my SSDI and it's holding up my claim. I am sick of calling this Doctor and this woman. Should I hire a lawyer to cease my information?
I have waiting for benefits since late October.

 

[hmmbrdzz]

What is the name of your state? New Jersey

Back in the beginning of Dec. my doctor told me to apply for SSDI benefits which I did in January. I have been having a hard time with the woman in his office submitting information to the insurance company, now I find out today that she never submitted anything for my SSDI and it's holding up my claim. I am sick of calling this Doctor and this woman. Should I hire a lawyer to cease my information?
I have waiting for benefits since late October.

====================================

You should speak to a disability attorney and let him handle your case. It won't cost you a dime UNTIL he gets a favorable ruling on your behalf. SSDI claims can take upwards of two years depending on your condition and age. Your doctor will only send information to SS after they have received from SS notification that your records need to be released for SSDI evaluation. Call SS and find out what you are supposed to do specifically with respect to your case. The process from filing to final ruling takes a long, long time with several appeals likely; so do not be surprised or discouraged if -- by Oct 2004 -- you have not received a favorable ruling yet. You will eventually (probably) get a favorable ruling with an attorney (and perhaps somewhat faster with an attorney), but even WITH an attorney, it will be a long process. If you feel it's necessary, you can sign releases with all of the doctors you have ever seen related to your current problem, get your records from all the health institutions you've ever been seen at or admitted to regards this problem, and submit these to SS on your own, but you should really let an attorney handle all of it.

There is a cap on the amount the disability attorney can receive AFTER he has gotten a favorable ruling for you (i.e. he can only receive but so much). I've seen someone here speak to that before (I'm not sure what the amount is).

Here are two sites that might help.

http://www.ssa.gov/

http://s3abaca.ssa.gov/pro/fol/fol-home.html


hmmbrdzz

 

[ALawyer]

Most Social Security lawyers take cases only AFTER the claimant has been denied by the local SS office, or even after reconsideration is denied. The maximum standard fee is 25% of BACK BENEFITS, or a bit over $5,000, whichever is less, so they do NOT normally take cases in which there are no back benefits likely. However, some will assist you for a flat fee, or hourly rate, to provide their advice and help you move the process along.

Here the long therm disability carrier (NOT SS) seems to be the problem. And lack of approval for SS should not be an excuse for the disability carrier to delay its benefits on and that is something a lawyer can address.

 

[hmmbrdzz]

Just an FYI -- many social security disability attorneys will take your case right from the minute you contact them upon your MD advising you to file for disability. Here's a URL that might assist you.


http://www.social-security-disability.net/state/New-Jersey/


hmmbrdzz