A previous post on this blog discussed how, although the situation is improving, there is still a great deal of inconsistency in how administrative law judges decide requests for review after a person gets denied Social Security disability benefits. Some of these judges tend to award benefits in almost every case, while others are much stingier when it comes to handing out benefits, granting them less than half the time.
However, the recent government report which that post discussed also pointed out that when a person had an attorney or other representative present on his or her behalf at the judge’s hearing, then the person was three times more likely to get benefits following that hearing.
In other words, statistics support that having an attorney can help a Kissimmee resident’s claim for SSD benefits proceed to an ultimately successful conclusion, even though the process will take time.
It’s hard to put a finger on any one reason why this is the case, but, in our office’s experience, a knowledgeable attorney is key to helping a Central Floridian present an effective disability claim. For instance, we know how to collect and organize medical records and other medical evidence in to a case that is more likely to persuade the judge.
We also take time to prepare our clients for the evidentiary hearing, as they often do not know how to answer the questions the judge may put to them, particularly if they involve some hypothetical or hard-to-imagine scenario. Finally, we also prepare to scrutinize the statements of the government’s doctors and other experts, as they oftentimes will subtly work to deny our client’s claim.
