My name is Danielle Diaz. One of the things I've learned in life, both inside and outside the courtroom, is that it is important to not see others as your enemy. Even though you may see the prosecutor as your enemy, he or she is just trying to do a job. It may be possible that you can get a prosecutor or the judge to be sympathetic and get him or her on your side. In order to accomplish this, you need to understand the law. I feel that most individuals do not understand the law, which is why I was motivated to create this blog.
Douglas Thompson
If you are attempting to file or appeal a long-term disability claim with Social Security Disability, then you may want to hire a disability attorney. These lawyers are well-versed in the disability benefits system and can help you win your case to have long-term disability income through the Social Security Disability Administration. If you want to hire a disability attorney, here are the main ways that they are paid.
Percentage Of Back-Due Benefits
The main way that a long-term disability attorney will be paid to handle your case is by taking a percentage of your previously-owed disability benefits. This means that as the Social Security Disability Administration pays you the benefits that you deserved before your claim was approved (or a maximum of 12 months before), 25% will go to your lawyer as payment for winning your case until that amount hits $6,000. Most disability attorneys work on contingency, which means they only get paid if they win your case. However, some attorneys will take this contingency fee plus other fees.
Up-Front Payment
Some disability lawyers will ask for an up-front payment to handle out-of-pocket costs that go beyond representing your case to the Social Security Disability Administration, such as the costs of requesting various medical documents to prove your disability. Unlike typical up-front retainer fees, this does not serve as a down-payment for future services rendered for your case. Additionally, retainer fees usually start around $2,000.
Post-Case Billing
Finally, many long-term disability attorneys will handle the out-of-pocket costs of a court case when it's needed and bill you for these costs after the case, whether you win your Social Security Disability case or not. This can make it easier to afford an attorney now, when you need it, versus trying to gather hundreds of dollars beforehand. Make sure to read the contract you make with your long-term disability attorney as far as payment goes, and see who covers these up-front costs, and when. These fees are separate from the contingency-based payment for winning the case entirely.
If you are interested in finding an attorney for your long-term disability case, then you should know that they are paid only when you win your case. Otherwise, out-of-pocket costs can be billed before they work on your case or after. Call a long-term disability attorney or disability claim law firm today, and see what payment plan they have for you.
Contact disability attorneys like Iler and Iler to get more specifics about your case.