Early Representation Benefits Disability Claimants
Do you need to file for Social Security Disability (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits and wondering if you should call an attorney? A recent study found that early disability attorney representation improves outcomes for claimants.
The study by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) found that having an attorney help with initial filing of a Social Security Disability or SSI claim greatly increases your chances of winning. Specifically, the study found that having early attorney help increases the chances of initial award by 23 percent, reduces the probability of appeal, and reduces case processing time by nearly one year.
If you or anyone you know is considering filing or has been denied SSDI or SSI benefits, do them a favor, have them call Harbison & Kavanagh at 1-804-888-8000 for a free consultation. At Harbison & Kavanagh, we can help you file an application for SSDI or SSI benefits, and help prove that you are disabled.
To see the full October 2021 study titled “Legal Representation in Disability Claims,” follow this link: https://www.nber.org/programs-projects/projects-and-centers/retirement-and-disability-research-center/center-papers/nb19-29. The link contains downloads for both the full study results as well as a one-page summary of the results. The authors are Hilary Hoynes (Professor of Public Policy University of California, Berkley); Nicole Meastas (Associate Professor of Health Care Policy at Harvard Medical School); and Alexander Strand (Economist at the Social Security Administration).
