Isn't that something, the people who really need it don't get it, but the ones with six cars and two houses do. I know they work hard but when the economy is bad we should all suffer together not just the ones who need it.

From 2/1/02, through 6/21/09, the fee cap was $5300. As of 6/22/09, the fee cap raised to $6000. That is a $700 increase per case not $6000, assuming that the past-due benefits exceed $24,000. And that increase took seven years to be approved. In cases in which the past due benefits are $21,200 or less, there is no increase in the fee at all since 25% of that is still $5300.

In cases that there is worker's compensation, the past-due benefits can be quite low, even if the case has taken years. In cases in which the claim is approved quickly, there may not even be any past-due benefits. In claims that are denied, there will be zero past-due benefits.

Hiring an attorney is a choice. Signing a fee agreement is a choice. The problem is that if a person chooses to gamble that they can get a favorable decision without an attorney (and it happens every day), they are making a choice that may not go in their favor. So that fear drives the attorney fee business. And there are attorneys who make money because of it. It is a free market economy with some oversight by SSA. No doubt there are leeches in the SSA attorney fee business. Scummy people are in every industry.

Personally, I like living in a country in which I can own six cars and two houses if I work hard enough.

Lol........That's true, and I agree with you. Unfortunately, silly me chose nursing. While I made a decent living, 6 cars and 2 houses were not in my future even without my injury. Meh.....still wouldn't have chosen a different career.

At least the big check let me buy a new car ! Put my family up to 3, so I'm half way to the 6 cars and 2 houses

I made pretty good money as a paralegal, but would never charge anyone trying to get disability, because some of them would need the money more than me. If they won I would only ask for what I paid in expenses. A lot of them would give me more. I did a lot of pro bono work. Now the ones with money, I'm helping someone get their fair share of 45 million, if she wins, I still wouldn't need another house or car.

You are a generous guy.

One car, one home and a small place in a resort town for vacation would be enough for me.

While I was lucky and my LTD carrier supplied a disability advocate at no cost to me, I cant imagine doing it on my own. The amount of paperwork was overwhelming. And when I got to the ALJ hearing I was provided with a lawyer who coached me through the entire process. I asked her about using an advocate company vs a straight up lawyer and she said the advocates were usually cheaper. Mine was Allsup. Also - they do not get paid unless you win so they work very hard for you. I just think there is so much to all of this that not being represented is a risk. What if I had filled out something wrong or said the wrong thing? They went through each and every question with me. They told me what to fix or how to word it. I look at it this way - once you lose - you lose...there is no changing that fact. Why not do all you can to insure the best outcome for you and your family? Even if they take 20% - thats 80% more than you would have gotten if completely denied. JMHO and I wish you the best.

That's how I felt about it too Achilles......I didn't look at it as $5300 taken from me, I looked at it as what they got me both in backpay and security going forward.

I will also say, my SSDI lawyer took care of everything for me.....gathering all the records and filing everything. I just had to show up at the hearing. Initially when I was filling out all the forms and calling docs to remind them to send in records, I was mentally exhausted from it (brain fog didn't help) and in so much more pain from the stress of it.

My WC lawyer on the other hand......Ugh ! I don't want to be reprimanded by a lawyer when a doc doesn't fill something out. He acts like I'm inconveniencing him whenever I call with a question/issue.

Amount of detail
 

I humbly disagree with the poster that said don't write too much. The more detail you provide the SSA, the better your chances. It gives them more opportunity to approve your application. It's particularly important to describe symptoms with frequency, duration and severity. Add units of measure, minutes, distance, etc. if possible and use descriptive language.
I've done a lot of research and people who write lengthy answers are more successful.

Detailed yes long no, because they look at your medical information mostly. They want to see MRI's, scans, medications, doctors reports. They want proof. They briefly go over what you have to say. If they get twelve pages of whining with nothing to back it up you will most likely not succeed.

No one encouraged WHINING for 12 pages.

You specifically wrote "Try not to make it to long, because they are testing you the whole time. If you can sit and type out long letters than you can work." Some of us very strongly disagree with that advice. If detailed requires it being long, that is fine. Obviously, no one should whine for 12 pages......that is VERY different from cautioning people about "trying not to make it too long." It needs to be as long as it needs to be to give a clear picture to SSA of how the applicant's condition is disabling in their life.

SSA is capable of figuring out that an applicant may have typed or written all of that info over the course of weeks, so they would not reject a claim because the typed info proves they could do a job.