Yup. The standard legal fee (in NY) for an attorney’s assistance in completing a disability application is 50% of your first check. The approval process takes over a year, and your first check will include up to a year of retroactive payment, so your attorney will get up to 6 months of your disability benefits.
I mean this wasn’t a government service, don’t get me wrong. So it’s kind of really gross to me that lawyer’s take a cut rather than doing the work pro bono. She only worked with the charity 3-4 days a fortnight.
I’m not sure we’re happy about it, but it’s the only option if we want a chance at a first round approval. Otherwise you’re playing the appeal game back-and-forth, missing out on monthly benefits anyway.
Yup. The standard legal fee (in NY) for an attorney’s assistance in completing a disability application is 50% of your first check. The approval process takes over a year, and your first check will include up to a year of retroactive payment, so your attorney will get up to 6 months of your disability benefits.
Wait, seriously? I had a lawyer help with mine here in Aus, but she was a disability advocate and the service was free, it was a charity…
We have a Social Services office that will provide all of the forms and explain the process. That’s 100% of the free support available in the US.
I mean this wasn’t a government service, don’t get me wrong. So it’s kind of really gross to me that lawyer’s take a cut rather than doing the work pro bono. She only worked with the charity 3-4 days a fortnight.
Welcome to the United States!
And plenty of people are happy to do it. Makes more sense to give up six months of benefits than to never get any at all.
Lawyers have to pay off those college loans…
I’m not sure we’re happy about it, but it’s the only option if we want a chance at a first round approval. Otherwise you’re playing the appeal game back-and-forth, missing out on monthly benefits anyway.
I was being a bit sarcastic. Half a loaf is better than none, but everyone still wants the whole thing.