If your SSDI claim has been denied, you have options. You are fully entitled to the right to appeal your denial, and our advocates at DAWA Disability are here to help you through the process.
Here are some important statistics regarding SSDI denials:
Why are the numbers so far apart you might ask? The SSA would like you to believe that the system is non-adversarial and neutral, but these numbers suggest otherwise. The rules governing Social Security disability cases are the same in every state because SSDI and SSI are federal programs, but the disability determinations are made by people – either claims examiners at DDS or ALJs at hearing offices. Decision-making is sadly a subjective process. With 50 different states and over 1,500 ALJs nationwide, you will always have a wide disparity with approval rates.
Our advocates are specialists in SSDI Appeals and Approvals and we have helped countless people successfully get the SSDI coverage they deserve.
Work With Our Advocates Today
The earlier you work with an advocate the more simple your SSDI process will be. The most important reason to hire an Advocate from DAWA Disability is that research has demonstrated that your chances of being approved significantly increase by more than 50%. Statistics show that a person who hires a DAWA Advocate at any level of the disability process is more likely to get benefits than a person who does not hire an advocate.
From the initial application to the hearing level DAWA Disability Advocates understand how to present a claim most favorable to their clients. On the initial application, your Advocate can offer advice on your alleged onset date of disability, argue listings, and help you present facts that will convince Social Security that you are disabled and unable to work. At the reconsideration and hearing levels (the first and second level of appeal in most states), your Advocate will order and submit medical evidence, secure an opinion from your doctor, draft a detailed brief to the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ), and prepare you for the ALJs questions at the hearing. Your Advocate will also produce supportive testimony from you at the hearing and may cross-examine the Vocational Expert or Medical Expert to demonstrate that you are unable to work.
The Cost of Hiring an Advocate
If you are thinking about hiring a Social Security Disability Advocate to help with your Social Security case, you should first understand the costs and benefits of having an advocate on your team. The costs are set by congress, disability advocates charge a fee regulated by federal law.
DAWA Disability Advocates work on a contingency fee basis. The standard contingency fee set by congress states that Advocates are limited to 25% of the past-due benefits paid to the claimant (and any beneficiaries on his or her account) up to a maximum of $6,000, but whichever is less. Essentially hiring an advocate is the same price from the start of your case to the end of your case.
For example, if the past-due benefits are $10,000, the Social Security Disability advocate’s fee would be $2,500.00, which is 25% of $10,000. If the claimant is awarded $100,000 in past-due disability benefits, the advocate’s fee would NOT be $25,000 but would be limited to $6,000 because of the fee cap. Claimants owe no fee to their disability advocates unless the claim is won and past-due benefits are awarded.
Under the fee agreement process, claimants do not pay any fees “upfront.” Social Security Disability fees are only owed if the claim is approved and past-due benefits are awarded by the Social Security Administration. Such an arrangement is called a contingent fee agreement because payment is contingent upon the claim being approved and past-due benefits awarded.
While some people choose to navigate this stage without legal representation, you are more likely to get approved if you have DAWA Disability Advocate on your side. Our Advocates are trained experts in helping Claimants obtain SSD/SSI benefits. Contact our team for highly informed guidance by calling 1-888-200-6929. We have a strong track record of helping people just like you get the benefits that they need. Let us help you today!