How to Find a Disability Attorney and Reduce Fees Simultaneously

Social Security Disability attorneys can easily be found in the yellow pages. They also advertise on late night television where I live. And a good thing about SS disability claims is that attorneys accept cases on a contingency fee basis, which means if they are not successful in proving your disability, you do not have to pay their fee.

One organization I am familiar with which you might want to consider contacting if you need an attorney or disability representative is the National Organization of Social Security Claimant Representatives (NOSSCR.org). They have a lawyer referral service that may be useful. The number is: 800-431-2804 (During normal business hours, EST). What I like about them is that they have annual conferences, which allow them to stay updated on new social security disability laws, policies and regulations, and they advocate for the rights of disabled claimants as a matter of course.

Another organization is Disability Advocates. They provide legal representation as well as advocacy services for Social Security Disability claimants. You can check to see if they have a representative available to assist you in your area.

Finally, if you want to find a competent attorney and save on the amount of money you pay in fees if you win your claim, you might want to check out Pre-Paid Legal Services. This is a national organization, with attorneys in every state, which does for attorney services what your health insurance coverage does for medical services, i.e. they make retaining an attorney affordable by charging a reasonable monthly fee for participation.

But the reason I recommend paying their monthly membership fee – which can start as low as $17 -- is that as a member you can qualify for a reduction in their contingency fees by 5%. These means that if they handle your disability claim, and win it for you, you will end up paying only 20% of your back benefits instead of the standard 25% that most attorneys charge.

But what does that mean in real money terms? Let’s say they win your disability claim and SSA owes you $16,000 in back benefits. (Note: this is not an unrealistic figure, given the time it takes for a reconsideration and bringing your claim before an Administrative Law Judge). A regular attorney would receive 25% of that amount, or $4000, but with a Pre-Paid Legal Services disability attorney, you would only be paying the attorney 20% of $16,000, or $3200. So you would save $800, and get to keep more money in your pocket when your claim is settled.

So, even if you are paying a monthly membership fee of $17 per month, you can see that you still come out ahead because not only will you have saved $800 on your SS disability case, but you will have access to an attorney for any other legal matter you have throughout the process. Their telephone consultation services are free with your membership, and they will also write a letter on your behalf for many legal matters you face, and sometimes a letter will keep a small matter from escalating into a big one.

Beyond that, as a person who has lived off $300 a month income for more months than I care to admit, I find that even though I maintained no health insurance coverage, I always maintained my Pre-Paid Legal insurance coverage, no matter what.

Why? Because having served in public service programs for many years, I know that people who are poor, disabled or otherwise in financial straits are often the victims of something or another, and have a host of concerns that they often need legal advice to resolve. Whether it be issues with housing--facing evictions--or mortgages--facing foreclosures--or any other legal issue, you are covered. You have an attorney just a phone call away for a reasonable monthly fee.  They also prepare your will for free with your sign up.

So even though I am one that keeps a Pre-Paid Legal Services attorney on my payroll through the thick and thin of my finances, having a low cost membership makes good sense for anyone who thinks they will need an attorney in the near future.

You will not only get a discounted fee rate when an attorney from their reputable law firm handles your disability claim, but you will have them at your beck and call, literally, to consult with for any other legal matter that may surface during this stressful time.

If interested, you can learn more about what they offer, and you can check out their affordable membership plans here.

Or visit: http://www.9steps.social-security-disability-esp.com/PPL-Membership.html or here: http://bit.ly/disability-prepaidlegal /  

Action Step 9: If your reconsideration claim is denied, consider contacting an attorney for a free consultation to see if the attorney/firm will accept your claim. If they say yes, it is a good indication that your medical condition is a severe one.

This article is excerpted from Step 9-- a sample chapter from the Ebook Entitled Getting Social Security Disability: Your 9 Step Guide

Click below to Get All the Steps in one Downloadable Ebook here...

or click to order the softcopy book here.