3 Questions To Ask When Choosing A Social Security Attorney When You Have An Invisible Disability
When your disability is invisible to the naked eye, such as a mental illness or chronic pain disorder, you are likely to find that getting the social security payments that you are entitled to can be very challenging. In that instance, it will be particularly useful to be aware of the following questions you should ask of any lawyer that you may consider hiring.
#1-Is The Lawyer Familiar With Changes To Social Security Law?
Unfortunately, people who suffer from endocrine disorders like diabetes and other thyroid disorders and cannot work as the result of their illness are likely to find that getting approved for disability payments is even harder than it was a few years ago. That is due to the decision implemented by the Social Security Administration in June of 2011 that removed those conditions from the list of approved illnesses for payments. Any lawyer with whom you will be speaking should make efforts to stay up-to-date on changes like that one.
#2-Does The Social Security Attorney Have Experience With Your Type Of Disability?
However, you may still be eligible for payments if your endocrine problem has resulted in additional serious health concerns like an amputation or organ failure. In addition, it can be particularly hard to be approved if you suffer from fibromyalgia or chronic fatigue. Due to the details associated with specific types of invisible disabilities, you are likely to find that it is best to always be represented by a social security attorney with extensive experience helping other people with the same disability you have.
#3-At What Point Will The Attorney Accept Your Case?
When you are sick, in pain or suffering from other symptoms of your invisible disability, you should not have to also worry about dotting i's and crossing t's in a long and complicated application for disability payments. Even worse, you should not have to do the work associated with the application, like procuring medical records, and still be unable to access legal assistance until your case has been turned down by the government. Therefore, it will be helpful to find an attorney who will help you every step of the way, from applying for benefits to appealing the denial of your case, if an appeal is eventually necessary.
In conclusion, the first application for social security disability benefits when you suffer from an invisible disability will often be turned down. Therefore, it is a good idea to ask the above questions when interviewing lawyers to help you file for benefits or appeal the decision about your case.
For more information and advice, talk with a social security lawyer, such as those at Todd East Attorney at Law.