Originally Posted by LIT LOVE

ballerina,

Many attorneys will not even take clients until their application progresses to the ALJ level. Frankly, I've always felt the maximum fee caps were too darn low and don't provide enough incentive for indepth attention to a case.

But, considering an attorney only gets 25% of the backpay as payment, the amount they collect can be miniscule if they help an applicant get approval early in the process, so I really don't understand why you keep stressing this. The saying, "Penny wise and pound foolish comes to mind."

Every person's situation is unique. My best advice is even if a person chooses an attorney, they should understand the process so well that they could represent themselves pro se, anyway. Your knowledge of your own medical history, limitations, effects of pain (& meds) on activity, etc. are the most valuable asset in your approval, but to say that an attorney or paralegal isn't worth their fees to an applicant, has to be questioned.

There are some applicants that can't manage the process on their own for many different reasons. If the decrease in backpay alone would be reason for anyone to avoid representation, then alternative, non-profit advocacy groups should be pursued.

I found this link after I wrote the above:

http://ultimatedisabilityguide.blogs...s-you-can.html