Alaska Mike
I just received notice from my attorney a month before my hearing that The SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION passed a law in June stating the lawyer can charge 25% now instead of the 15% document I signed.

Go figure...is this a politcal act of increasing attorney fees? As if attoeneys need it more than we, the patient needs the monthly allowable measly pentance we have paid into ALL these years yet other abroad can receive SS with no deposits into the SSA. How messed up is the system?

25% is correct but they still cannot go over $5300+costs. costs are usually less than $200.

Mike


When a Social Security disability case is won, a Claimant typically receives a regular monthly benefit.

In most cases, though, a Claimant will also receive a certain amount in past-due benefits, or a back payment. This backpayment is usually due to how long the case has taken.

Very often, in fact, a claimant who has been approved and awarded benefits will have spent up to three years or more in the application-appeal process.

And claimants who have applied multiple times may have endured far greater amounts of time in the ssa system attempting to get benefits approved.

How much can an attorney or non attorney representative charge?

As opposed to other areas where individuals may have their interests professionally represented, those who represent social security disability and ssi claims have caps on what they may charge.

An Attorney or Representative for a disability case is allowed to receive 25% of a Claimant's past due benefits. So, if a Claimant recieves a backpayment of $10,000.00, a representative will receive $2,500.00 as the fee.

The maximum fee amount an attorney or representative can receive, however, regardless of how much the Claimant receives in past due benefits, is $5,300.00.

THANK YOU for clarifying. I shall bow down & praise you.

However, I just remembered from years back the att said SS will not go back more than 2 years even though I have been P&S 8 years.

My atty. told me NOT to bother filing for SSDI, because in the state of OK, one almost has to be in a comma to get approved. I filed on my own behalf, and 10 weeks later I was approved...the first try. My atty. (WC), was shocked..and he did NOT get any of the $$$ of my applying on my own. I received a backpay ck. 2 weeks after receiving my approval letter, and my monthly SSDI ck comes like clockwork. I am approved for 3 years before having to be reviewed. I was approved on CRPS/Chronic Pain and Major Depression/Anxiety Disorder due to a generalized medical condition.

I had almost 2 yrs of medical records, letters from all the doctors, and the fact that after 10 months with no employment, I attempted to go back to work under sedentary conditions. That lasted 2 months, and I had to resign as I could not take my daily meds and do the job..the pain was horrible, and I couldn't focus..also, sedentary doesn't really mean sedentary..as I worked for an organization that I was the public relations liaison for individuals with disabilities. I found out that even organizations that are to assist disabled individuals, does not mean they follow sedentary work restrictions for their employees.

SSDI wants to know one thing..can you work? Be honest and fill the forms out with great care. Terminology matters. I started online with the app..found it too time consuming and stressful, which set me off on a pain flare. I made an appt. to fill out form with SSDI rep at our local office. Bring all your medical records, and be prepared to be interviewed for at least one hour. There will be other packets of papers to fill out and sign. Return them promptly.

Winning SSDI, on my own, gave me such energy/hope in my heart and Spirit. My atty. will not be telling his clients not to waste their time with it anymore...

Granted, the amt. I receive is about 1/3 of what I use to make on my net monthly salary..but, something coming in is better then nothing coming in. I did not qualify for SSI as hubby made too much money.

I feel very blessed to receive SSDI. I hope this helps you.

Dew