Nobody wants to be disabled. It’s an unfortunate aspect of life that people can become physically or mentally unable to work and earn a living. Luckily, a system was set up many decades ago which offers protection should this ever be the case for you or someone in your family.
“The Social Security system in the United States is something you pay into from day one on your first job. The money is garnered from your paycheck and held should you ever need the service.” said Maria, a disability lawyer in Melbourne Florida. “Most people never need this service and don’t start getting benefits from the system until they retire.”
Hiring an attorney for a Social Security Disability (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) application in the USA can significantly improve your chances of approval. Based on available data:
Initial Application Stage:
A 2022 study from the National Bureau of Economic Research found that having an attorney or advocate increases the chances of getting an initial benefit claim approved by 23 percentage points. Surveys also indicate that 60% of claimants with legal representation were approved at the initial stage, compared to 34% without, suggesting a 26% advantage in approval rates.
Appeals and Hearing Stage:
At the hearing level before an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ), the advantage is even more pronounced. A Government Accountability Office (GAO) study found that claimants represented by an attorney are nearly three times as likely to receive a favorable decision, with approval rates around 60% for those with attorneys compared to less than 50% without. Other sources report approval rates at the hearing stage increase from 23% without representation to 50% with an attorney, a 27% advantage, or even up to a doubling of success rates. A 2017 study noted applicants with representation were awarded benefits 2.9 times more often at hearings.
This is a much higher rate than results for hiring an attorney for other fields such as property law, where the benefit of hiring an attorney improves your odds only 10%-20%.
Is hiring an attorney the right move for you in your pursuit of being approved for disability payments? Only you can decide this. But, if you want a 25% advantage going into it, then hiring an attorney may be your best bet.
