Choosing a Social Security Attorney

How to Choose an Expert Social Security Disability Lawyer in San Antonio and all parts of Texas

Why Hire a lawyer in the first place? 

Hiring a lawyer increases your chances to win.  We represent clients before Social Security Judges and Federal Court Judges every day.  You are filing only your claim and likely have no experience with the full spectrum of the claim process.  We have seen thousands of claims from beginning to end and know the rules and the people on the Government payroll who are enforcing them.  We know what to do to win.

Statistics show that Social Security disability claimants who have attorneys representing them have been much more successful in obtaining benefits than people who choose to represent themselves.  But there are other reasons why you would hire a lawyer:

You don't pay us anything unless you win benefits.

We are required to set our our agreements with clients in writing and that agreement must be approved by the Social Security Administration.

When you win back benefits, Social Security must approve in writing every penny we charge you in fees.

We can't charge more than 25% of your back pay award that you get in a lump sum when you win.

We can't charge fees on any future payments you get for disability.

We are regulated not only by Social Security Representative rules of conduct, but also by the disciplinary rules of the State Bar of Texas and the rules of the Western District Court in Texas.

As lawyers we are required to have IOLTA trust accounts to safeguard any client money placed in our care, separate and apart from the law firm accounts.  The records of this IOLTA account are subject to seizure by the Texas State Bar if there is any allegation of mishandling of client funds.  If it is found that we have mishandled funds, our licenses to practice are on the line regarding State Bar disciplinary action.

When Choosing a Disability lawyer, Consider the Possibility of a Federal Social Security Disability Lawsuits

If you are choosing a Social Security representative, consider if the person you are hiring is willing and able to sue the Social Security Administration in Federal Court if it is necessary for your case.  If you don't sue on time, you can lose many thousands of dollars in back pay.

This ability to sue in Federal court if necessary automatically leaves out from consideration any representative who is not a lawyer. None of them can practice in Federal or any other court for that matter. Most attorney disability representatives do not take their cases to Federal court for a variety of reasons. What ever their particular reason is, it is not relevant to you. It costs you no more to hire a lawyer as your representative instead of a non lawyer and it costs you no more to hire a lawyer that earns his or her living at hearings and in Federal court. At the Law Offices of Ed Goldner, we do both. Take a moment and read our disability lawyers' short biographies.

How to Choose a Social Security Disability Lawyer

Obviously we would like you to call our firm for help. Helping sick and injured people is not just our business, it is our passion.  If you have not filed your claim for Social Security disability, chances are your back pay award is lower, thus lowering the amount of money you would have social security pay your disability attorney out of your back award of benefits. That amount is capped currently at $5300 anyway by Social Security. Often we represent clients who only pay us a hundreds of dollars after long and hard work on their case. Such is ups and downs of a contingency fee agreement. I can only tell you one thing: We will do our best and do the right thing for you. Call us at 866-654-7772 or 210-775-2836 or email me.

A Competent Social Security disability lawyer will increase your chances in winning disability benefits. Getting one, however, is such a no small matter. What must you really consider when choosing the right representative to handle our disability cases? Take a look at some of the points I discuss below regarding the selection of your attorney.

The Advantages that your disability lawyer has because of Legal Training and Experience.

Basically, your disability lawyer evaluates and formulates a winning strategy for your case. Law school training and legal representation experience uniquely qualify a lawyer to represent you in your claim. Lawyers are trained to think differently than 'Normal" people do. They are trained in the law and trained to objectively evaluate facts which apply to the law. They are also trained and experienced in court room representation and legal writing. All of these skills are critical in increasing your chances of winning disability benefits. After handling various cases, most disability attorneys already have an excellent perspective whether a case is winnable or not. They analyze carefully what it takes to win a certain case. More importantly, if you decide to hire an attorney, he will make sure that your case file is up-to-date with all medical records. In addition, he will work with your doctors to "translate" your medical problems into work limitations so that social security can evaluate your claim properly.

Lawyers must also be competent and knowledgeable enough in their chosen field for them to gain the trust of their clients that they'll win their claims. While an attorney's opinion is not a determination of how your case will end up, he can offer you the benefit of experience. An experienced lawyer can be very helpful to you in many ways. Your lawyer can make sure that you have applied for all disability programs for which you are eligible. Having several years of work experience in their respective areas of practice and always utilizing their resources, commitment and professional judgment is necessary in order to make sure that your cases are thoroughly prepared and ready for trial.

Indeed, getting an efficient, effective and responsive counsel for your Social Security disability case is a challenging task. Before making the decision to hire an attorney, you need to know first about the lawyers knowledge, background and experience. Also, you must ask the lawyer to tell you about how he has represented clients in cases similar to yours. Ask the lawyer to go over the fee arrangement in detail with you and be sure you understand what the lawyer plans to do to represent you on your claim.

After all, you really have to take your claim seriously and make every effort to listen to and follow your lawyer's advice because as you can see, you and your lawyer are a team when it comes to winning your social security disability cases.

Again, statistics show that Social Security disability claimants who have attorneys representing them have been much more successful in obtaining benefits than people who choose to represent themselves.

It is a good idea to speak with a disability attorney representative before filing your claim. If not, and you have been denied benefits, NOW is the time to seek help from an expert lawyer.

How Can the Expert Lawyers and Paralegals at the Law Offices of Ed Goldner Help You?

One of our expert representatives will work with you and assist you with your initial disability application, filing any needed reconsideration, hearing request before an administrative law judge, or appeal to the Appeals council.

Our lawyers and paralegals will analyze your case under Federal Social Security Disability Regulations, obtain a copy of your file from the Office of hearings & Appeals to ensure that it reflects all your past medical treatment and that all records and documents contained therein are admissible as evidence.

If you are denied a Social Security Disability or a SSI Claim, it is often because there was a lack of medical evidence in support of your claim or the Administration did not consider all your impairments or the Social Security Administration failed to apply the correct legal rules. We get the medical reports to Social Security so they can be evaluated in your claim.

Our expert Social Security representatives will give you advice about what you need to do to prove your disability and gather your medical evidence.

We always ensure that all necessary disability appeals are timely filed.

One of our expert lawyers will represent you at your hearing. We always ask that any prior disability applications for benefits you filed be reopened to get you more benefits.

As a matter of course our expert attorneys request that your treating doctor provide a detailed report of what you can and cannot do because of your impairment.

If you are turned down for benefits at the Appeals Council, you have nowhere else to go but to Federal Court. If there is legal error in your Appeals Council decision, we represent you in a Federal lawsuit in Federal District Court. If there is legal error there, we will represent you Circuit Court of Appeals also.

Every day you wait to file is one more day until you begin receiving your money. There is NO RISK to you if we do not win you do not pay. And when you do win, Social Security determines how much you will pay us from your end award. At no time could we ever take more than 25% of your back pay. It is the exception when it is that much. Most times it is far less.

Make sure you get a lawyer to represent you.

Social Security regulations also allow non-lawyers to represent you in your claim before the Social Security Administration. As a result, many non-lawyer companies have started businesses assisting disability claimants

Many law firms who practice in the Social Security disability area will assign you a non-lawyer to represent you at your hearing. Many of those same law firms will not represent you in a Federal lawsuit should that become necessary because they do not have the expertise to be successful in Federal lawsuits for Social Security disability benefits.

How would you like to be represented at your hearing in front of a lawyer administrative judge by a non-lawyer? Who is going to cross examine the Social Security paid doctor or vocational expert who is going to testify against you at that hearing--The non-lawyer?

All I can say is, choose your disability representative wisely. Your claim is likely to take well over a year, and you may not be eligible for benefits if you tried to file a new claim after you lose the first. This is your best shot to recover the most amounts possible in your disability claim. We represent disabled people from all parts of Bexar County, San Antonio and surrounding cities. Call us at the Law Offices of Ed Goldner at 866-654-7772 or 210-775-2836 now.

If you intend to file a Social Security disability claim or have been denied benefits, you need a lawyer to represent you. The most important thing to take away from the advice on our website is make sure you are going to be represented at your hearings and in your appeals by an expert Lawyer, like the ones at the Law Offices of Ed Goldner. It costs you no more to have a lawyer in your corner than having a non-lawyer who says he or she knows what to do in your claim. Call the expert Lawyers at the Law Offices of Ed Goldner now at 866-654-7772 or 210-775-2836 or email me  to represent you in your disability claim before the Social Security Administration.

We serve the greater San Antonio area. However, if you live in the Dallas/Fort Worth area, you may need a local, experienced Social Security or Personal Injury law firm in your corner. We invite you to visit the good people at Kraft & Associates. Spend just a short time on their website and you can see how much they know and you can tell how much they care for the people they represent.  I personally know Bob Kraft and he is currently the only attorney not associated with my office on my website.  I get no money from him and you will find a link to my website on his website. 

However, be advised:  The choice to hire any attorney must be made by you, the client, after talking face to face with your prospective lawyer--not anything I have written about him or her.

The best way to choose a lawyer is find out what his client's are saying about him.  See what they are saying about us by visiting our Testimonials page.

Obviously we would like you to call our firm for help.  Helping sick and injured people is not just our business, it is our passion. However, before you do, read the article I wrote about whether or not to hire a lawyer in the first place.  If you have not filed your claim for Social Security disability, chances are your back pay award is lower, thus lowering the amount of money you would have social security pay your disability attorney out of your back award of benefits.  That amount is capped currently at $5300 anyway by Social Security.  Often we represent clients who only pay us a little or nothing after long and hard work on their case.  Such is "Ups and downs" of a contingency fee agreement.  I can only tell you one thing:  We will do our best and do the right thing for you.  Call us at 866-654-7772 or 210-775-2836 or email me.

A Competent Social Security disability lawyer will increase your chances in winning disability benefits. Getting one, however, is such a no small matter.  What must you really consider when choosing the right representative to handle our disability cases?  Take a look at some of the points I discuss below regarding the selection of your attorney.

The Advantages that your disability lawyer has because of Legal Training and Experience.

Basically, your disability lawyer evaluates and formulates a winning strategy for your case.  Law school training and legal representation experience uniquely qualify a lawyer to represent you in your claim.  Lawyers are trained to think differently than we do.  They are trained in the law and trained to objectively evaluate facts which apply to the law.  They are also trained and experienced in court room representation and legal writing.  All of these skills are critical in increasing your chances of winning disability benefits.  After handling various cases, most disability attorneys already have an excellent perspective whether a case is winnable or not. They analyze carefully what it takes to win a certain case. More importantly, if you decide to hire an attorney, he will make sure that your case file is up-to-date with all medical records. In addition, he will work with your doctors to "translate" your medical problems into work limitations so that social security can evaluate your claim properly.

Lawyers must also be competent and knowledgeable enough in their chosen field for them to gain the trust of their clients that they'll win their claims. While an attorney's opinion is not a determination of how your case will end up, he can offer you the benefit of experience. An experienced lawyer can be very helpful to you in many ways. Your lawyer can make sure that you have applied for all disability programs for which you are eligible. Having several years of work experience in their respective areas of practice and always utilizing their resources, commitment and professional judgment is necessary in order to make sure that your cases are thoroughly prepared and ready for trial.

Indeed, getting an efficient, effective and responsive counsel for your Social Security disability case is a challenging task.  Before making the decision to hire an attorney, you need to know first about the lawyers knowledge, identity and experience. Also, you must ask the lawyer to tell you about how he has represented clients in cases similar to yours. Ask the lawyer to go over the fee arrangement in detail with you and be sure you understand what the lawyer plans to do to represent you on your claim. 

After all, you really have to take your claim seriously and make every effort to listen to and follow your lawyer's advice because as you can see, you and your lawyer are a team when it comes to winning your social security disability cases.

Statistics show that Social Security disability claimants who have attorneys representing them have been much more successful in obtaining benefits than people who choose to represent themselves.

It is a good idea to speak with a disability attorney representative before filing your claim.  If not, and you have been denied benefits, NOW is the time to seek help from an expert lawyer.

How Can the Expert Lawyers and Paralegals at the Law Offices of Ed Goldner Help You?

• One of our expert disability representatives will work with you and assist you with your initial disability application, filing any needed reconsideration, hearing request before an administrative law judge, or appeal to the Appeals council.
• Our disability lawyers and paralegals will analyze your case under Federal Social Security Disability Regulations, obtain a copy of your file from the Office of hearings & Appeals to ensure that it reflects all your past medical treatment and that all records and documents contained therein are admissible as evidence.
• If you are denied a Social Security Disability or a SSI Claim, it is often because there was a lack of medical evidence in support of your claim or the Administration did not consider all your impairments or the Social Security Administration failed to apply the correct legal rules.   We get the medical reports to Social Security so they can be evaluated in your claim.
• Our expert Social Security disability representatives will give you advice about what you need to do to prove your disability and gather your medical evidence.
• We always ensure that all necessary disability appeals are timely filed.
• One of our expert disability lawyers will represent you at your hearing.  We always ask that any prior disability applications for benefits you filed be reopened to get you more benefits.
• As a matter of course our expert disability attorneys request that your treating doctor provide a detailed report of what you can and cannot do because of your impairment.
• If you are turned down for benefits at the Appeals Council, you have nowhere else to go but to Federal Court.  If there is legal error in your Appeals Council decision, we represent you in a Federal lawsuit in Federal District Court.  If there is legal error there, we will represent you Circuit Court of Appeals also.

Every day you wait to file is one more day until you begin receiving your money. There is NO RISK to you if we do not win you do not pay.  And when you do win, Social Security determines how much you will pay us from your end award.  At no time could we ever take more than 25% of your back pay.  It is the exception when it is that much.  Most times it is far less.

Make sure you get an expert disability lawyer to represent you. 

Social Security regulations also allow non-lawyers to represent you in your claim before the Social Security Administration.  As a result, many non-lawyer companies have started businesses assisting disability claimants

Many law firms who practice in the Social Security disability area will assign you a non-lawyer to represent you at your hearing. Many of those same law firms will not represent you in a Federal lawsuit should that become necessary because they do not have the expertise to be successful in Federal lawsuits for Social Security disability benefits.  At the Law Offices of Ed Goldner, we always assign a lawyer to represent you and we sue Social Security in Federal court every day.  

How would you like to be represented at your hearing in front of a lawyer administrative judge by a non-lawyer?  Who is going to cross examine the Social Security paid doctor or vocational expert who is going to testify against you at that hearing--The non-lawyer?

All I can say is, choose your disability representative wisely.  Your claim is likely to take well over a year, and you may not be eligible for benefits if you tried to file a new claim after you lose the first.  This is your best shot to recover the most amounts possible in your disability claim.  We represent disabled people from all parts of Bexar County, San Antonio and surrounding cities.  Call us at the Law Offices of Ed Goldner at 866-654-7772 or 210-775-2836 now.  

If you intend to file a Social Security disability claim or have been denied benefits, you need a lawyer to represent you.   The most important thing to take away from the advice on our website is make sure you are going to be represented at your hearings and in your appeals by an expert disability lawyer, like the ones at the Law Offices of Ed Goldner.  It costs you no more to have an expert disability lawyer in your corner than having a non-lawyer who says he or she knows what to do in your claim.  Call the expert disability lawyers at the Law Offices of Ed Goldner now at 866-654-7772 or 210-775-2836 or email me to represent you in your disability claim before the Social Security Administration.

If you happened on this site, need a lawyer, or are looking for a website that provides information about Social Security Disability.  You may want to check out Tim Howley's Website.