Social Security Disability Lawyers in Salt Lake City
In nearly every case it is advisable to have an attorney to represent you. Many times having legal representation can make a difference in at least two areas. First, obtaining favorable decision, and secondly, the gross amount of the benefit award.
An experienced attorney will be able to probe into the facts of your case and help present many relevant information that an applicant would most likely think is not important. In many ways presenting a social security case is like a personal injury case, the only difference is that your are trying to convince a social security employee instead of a jury.
Presenting your case in the most favorable light, whether initially or during an appeal equates into successfully being allowed benefits. Also, if you have an attorney who is experienced he will be able to the disability onset date and establish that your disability will, for example, extend beyond the required 12 months to qualify.
A good example of the advantage of having legal representation is in the case of McHone v. Astrue, No. 1:10-cv-00273-MR (W.D.N.C. Dec. 20, 2011). In McHone, the Administrative Law Judge refused to take an appellants obesity into consideration when determining her disability. The attorney wisely pointed out to the Federal District Court that even thought the plaintiff did not use the term obese, her testimony described the symptoms associated with the obesity. Further, the attorney pointed to specific medical evidence of obesity in the record, including a BMI showing morbid obesity, and physical limitations and other ailments listed in SSR 02-1p.
