What to Look for in an SSD Lawyer in Wisconsin
Having an Experienced Wisconsin Disability Attorney on Your Side Can Increase Your Chances on Appeal
First, health problems sidelined you from work. You applied for Social Security Disability benefits to get financial relief. But then you were denied.
A Social Security Disability lawyer can help you appeal that denial—and finally win benefits.
In fact, one government study found that people who had representatives with them in their disability appeals hearings are almost three times more likely to be approved.
But your financial future, your stability, your peace and happiness are on the line.
With medical conditions and money worries, this situation is highly personal.
So how do you find a Social Security Disability lawyer you can trust?
The Becker Law Office has decades of experience helping people in Madison. And we have thoughts on how to pick an SSD Lawyer in Wisconsin.
Keep reading for more, or get in touch with us now to talk about your disability benefits case.
How to Choose the Right Disability Lawyer for You
When you’re looking for a Social Security Disability appeals lawyer, it can help to look at reviews from their past clients and details of their education, experience and professional involvement.
Look for these qualities:
- They’re Experienced: You want a lawyer with years of experience, or someone who has handled many disability cases.
- They Focus on Social Security Disability: Social Security has its own, separate legal system for granting disability benefits. It’s not like other kinds of law. You want a lawyer who knows this system.
- They’re in Your Community: A lawyer familiar with local medical services in Wisconsin, assistance programs, Social Security offices, and the way local disability judges operate, can serve you better than someone dropping in from out of state.
- They’ll Meet Before Your Hearing: Some disability lawyers will only meet you in person the day of your hearing with a disability judge. You want a lawyer who takes the time to help you prepare beforehand.
- They’re Warm and Welcoming: This applies to the disability law firm staff, too. They should respond to your questions, care about your case and treat you with respect and dignity. Avoid law firms that seem to view you as just another case file.
The Becker Law Office has helped thousands of people in Wisconsin win disability benefits. And it has focused intensely on this kind of law. For years we said: Disability Law Is All We Do.
You can start out with our disability attorneys by talking to us for a free consultation about your case.
Do You Need to Get a Disability Lawyer for Your Social Security Appeal in the First Place?
You’re not required to have a lawyer for a Social Security Disability claim, but it could be best if you get one.
Especially when you’ve been denied for benefits and you’re appealing the decision, the process gets much more complicated than when you first applied.
Your lawyer takes on the burden of your claim for you, so you can focus on your own well-being.
A lawyer does all of this and more for you:
- Makes sure your multiple Social Security Disability appeals forms are filled out correctly
- Gathers medical records and other evidence about your health problems
- Collects statements from personal acquaintances who know how your medical conditions effect your life
- Updates your file with Social Security
- Prepares you to testify in front of a disability judge
- Stands by your side in your disability hearing
- Questions vocational or medical experts who may testify about you
- Serves as your guide through a process that can seem cold and unfeeling
When you reach a hearing with a disability judge, your application for disability benefits becomes more like a legal case. And it gets more intense from there if you ask for a Social Security Appeals Council review, or you take your case to federal court.
In fact, in federal court, you will be required to have a lawyer registered to practice in that court.
But no matter where you are in the process, a primary reason to work with a disability lawyer is so you won’t be alone.
Your lawyer can provide the personal attention you deserve at a difficult time in your life and when you’re trying to navigate a system that can be impersonal.
If you’ve been denied disability benefits, and you want another chance at assistance that can make your life easier, reach out to us at Becker Law.