When applying for disability benefits, there can be a lot of bureaucracy and legal work involved. Not only do you need to apply for the benefits themselves, but there is also the caveat of needing to qualify for the benefits in the first place. The process can be difficult and overwhelming, but there is help to be found.
What Do Disability Attorneys Do?
From the name alone, it is easy to see that a disability attorney is a professional that specializes in disability claims and other similar cases. They are not to be confused with a disability advocate, who is an individual who has undergone legal training or expertise, but lacks the law degree that a disability attorney would have.
Both the advocate and the attorney have a similar goal, however. They both seek to help cases that deal heavily with disabilities, most notably disability claims. It is important to note though that the two can vary greatly in terms of services — even amongst themselves. That being said, the SSA has limited what they can charge on disability claimants.
Texas Disability Attorneys
Texas is rather notorious for having a difficult Social Security Disability benefits application process, as it can be both arduous and long. This is why it’s important — and better — to have a professional representative to help you along.
The average Social Security disability case takes a significant time to process. This comes out to be 349 waiting days. Texas features a lower average waiting time of 277 days and a slightly higher approval rate for initial claims at 33% compared to the national average of 32%, but they are less likely to approve ongoing benefits.
The lower hearing approval rate of Texas ranges from 38.2% to 54% based on the area. Meanwhile, the average number of processing days in Texas varies from 196 to 403 in those areas. Based on the location of the hearing office, they go as follows:
- Dallas Downtown: 40.9% approval rate, 348 processing days
- Dallas North: 47.6% approval rate, 306 processing days
- Fort Worth: 49% approval rate, 278 processing days
- Houston North: 54% approval rate, 242 processing days
- Houston-Bissonnet: 38.2% approval rate, 270 processing days
- Rio Grande Valley: 48.4% approval rate, 196 processing days
- San Antonio: 41.8% approval rate, 403 processing days
This range of rates and processing days can and should be considered when planning applications and claims for disability benefits, as choosing can greatly increase the applicant’s rate of success.
There are also many administrative law judges in the state of Texas distributed around the area. When assessing disability attorneys, it can be incredibly beneficial to choose based on their proximity to the judge in question as they will be more familiar with them.
Benefits To Hiring A Disability Attorney
There are many benefits to hiring a disability attorney. Over the entire course of benefit application, they can provide expertise and guidance to give you the best chances of succeeding. In cases where your application may be denied, they can also be instrumental in filing an appeal for reconsideration.
The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) reports that research shows that having a professional representative can greatly increase the chances of getting Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI).
At the initial application of the process, disability attorneys can make the work of gathering information and documents needed easier and more streamlined. This helps you avoid issues later down the line that you may encounter from missing information or papers during your application.
As you are applying, disability attorneys can also help you navigate the process with ease. While many of the nuances and legal jargon of the program can be intimidating and jarring, it is well within a disability attorney’s expertise to guide you through them.
Even after the process, should your claim be denied, they can review your case and bring to light any possible mistakes or oversights that may have been made. They can even help support your claim and refile an appeal.
For more information on Social Security disability lawyers, review the rest of DisabilityHelp’s resources today!
