DENIED DISABILITY BENFITS? A HEARING MAY HELP

It's no secret that the Social Security Administration (SSA) denies most disability applications.  

What can you do when you're unable to work and Social Security denies your claim?

A hearing may help.  

What is a hearing?  It is an appearance before a federal Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) to ask for a new decision.

Who appears before the judge?  You (the claimant), your attorney, a vocational witness, and sometimes a medical expert (doctor).  A hearing clerk attends the hearing as a record keeper who will record the proceedings.

At the hearing, new evidence may be submitted.  All the evidence can be explained by your attorney.  The judge will ask a lot of questions.  The judge considers all testimony and all the evidence without being bound by any previous decisions.  He/she will give you a totally new decision--often fully favorable.

So, just because your benefits have been denied, that doesn't mean that no benefits are available to you.  You just have to go a little further into the process.

At the hearing, you will have the first opportunity to sit down with a high level decision maker and explain your disability.  

Claimants who take an attorney with them to the hearing win about three times as often as those who go unrepresented. Your attorney will feel right at home in the hearing and can guide you through it successfully.

Can you afford an attorney?  Yes.  Your attorney will sign a "Contingency Fee Agreement."  This means you only pay a fee if you win your case and receive past due benefits.  The fee will be a percentage of the past due benefits that you get.  (Your monthly check is all yours -- 100 percent).  By the way, fees must be approved by the Social Security Administration.  The claimant is protected.

Contact the Forsythe Firm in Huntsville, AL.  You can get a free consultation and case evaluation at no cost, no obligation.  Simply call us at (256) 799-0297.