c/ca-disability-lawyers

Just overheard a lawyer say something about waiting too long to apply

I was sitting in a waiting room last week near a disability lawyer's office in Fresno and I heard him tell someone that waiting even six months after your condition gets worse can mess up your whole case. He said the SSA looks at when you first could have filed, not when you actually did, so delays can cost you back pay. I didn't realize that the date you apply isn't just about getting help faster, it changes how much money you might get. The guy he was talking to had waited almost a year after his doctor said he couldn't work anymore... and the lawyer said he basically lost out on a bunch of benefits. Made me wonder how many people just sit on it because they think they should tough it out or wait for a miracle. Has anyone else run into this issue with their own lawyer? What did they say about timing?

Hot take: Too many people confuse SSDI with SSI when talking to their lawyer

I swear half the posts I see on here people say they applied for disability but don't even know which program. I sat down with my lawyer in Fresno last month and he had to explain the difference for 20 minutes. It matters because SSDI is based on work credits and SSI is based on need, and your whole case strategy changes. Has anyone else had their lawyer waste a whole appointment clearing this up?

My disability lawyer asked me to document my symptoms with photos

I spent a whole day taking pictures of my back brace, my cane, and my face making pain faces. Figured I'd send them over and be done. Lawyer called me back and said I looked like I was modeling for a medical catalog. He just wanted a simple pic of my cane and my meds together. Now I just send one photo instead of a whole photoshoot.

Shoutout to my disability lawyer for catching a mistake SSA made on my onset date

I was about to accept a decision from SSA that gave me benefits starting 6 months later than I actually became disabled. My lawyer at a small firm in Fresno found where they miscalculated my onset date based on an old doctor visit I forgot about. He pushed back and got the judge to correct it, which was an extra $4,800 in back pay for me. Has anyone else had their lawyer find something their own doctor notes missed?

My first SSDI appeal took 18 months in Fresno

Honestly thought it would be a 6 month thing max, but the ALJ hearing got pushed back three times. The lawyer I hired said the backlog in the Fresno office is brutal right now. Has anyone else had their hearing rescheduled more than once?

Hit a surprising milestone with my disability claim...

I was dead set against hiring a lawyer for my SSDI case, figured I could handle it myself and save the money. But after 8 months of waiting and getting denied twice, I finally caved and called a law firm in Fresno. Just hit my first approval milestone at the reconsideration level and I'm honestly shocked... they got me approved in 3 months. Has anyone else seen faster results after switching to a lawyer?

Just realized those disability lawyer TV ads aren't all scams

I was dead set against calling any of them for 6 months until my neighbor got approved for SSDI after 3 denials doing it alone, and I finally caved and talked to one who actually got my case moving in 8 weeks.

Met a lawyer in Fresno who charges flat fees for SSDI appeals

Picked a smaller local firm over a big name disability lawyer and it worked out

I was torn between going with one of those big disability law firms that advertise on TV or a smaller office here in Fresno that a friend recommended. Went with the local guy because he actually returned my calls the same day and seemed to know the SSA judges in our area. Has anyone else gone with a smaller firm and ended up glad they did?

I finally got my SSA decision letter after 14 months of waiting

I noticed a lot of people on here keep sending in the exact same medical records without adding new doctor notes or test results. My lawyer told me we had to submit something new every 3 months or the judge would just see a stale file. Has anyone else had luck with a specific type of evidence that moved their case forward?

Tried a big firm then a solo lawyer for my disability case and the solo was way better

Honestly the big firm kept passing me between paralegals but the solo lawyer actually remembered my name and my whole medical history from talking once, has anyone else found smaller firms just give more attention?

Heard a paralegal give a client bad advice at the Starbucks on Sunset

I was sitting waiting for my order and this paralegal from a big disability firm was on the phone. He told the client to just "stop showing up to the IME" because the doctor was biased. My jaw dropped. That is terrible advice. Skipping an IME is almost always grounds for the judge to deny your case. I had to walk away before I said something. But it got me thinking about how many people get wrecked by bad info from support staff who aren't lawyers. Has anyone else overheard something like this or gotten bad advice from a paralegal?

Debate: Should you apply for disability yourself before hiring a lawyer or go straight to a lawyer first?

I read that over 60% of initial SSDI claims get denied, but I also found stats saying lawyers who appeal early get faster approvals. Which route worked better for you guys - going it alone first or paying a lawyer from day one?

My lawyer said to stop sending them every single medical record I had

My SSDI lawyer in Fresno told me last year to only send the big stuff like hospital stays and specialist notes. I kept sending every little doctors visit and it just slowed things down. Anybody else's lawyer give them advice that actually worked?

My cousin's lawyer told me to stop talking to the insurance adjuster, I kept chatting and lost my settlement

My cousin, who's been a CA disability lawyer in Fresno for 12 years, warned me not to say a word after my car accident but I figured I'd be nice and explain my back pain. Now they're using my own words to say I'm not that hurt and offering $3k less - who's had a lawyer's advice backfire or totally save their case?

Best week I ever had with a CA disability lawyer vs worst week

Honestly, my best week was when my lawyer got my back pay approved in 3 days after 18 months of waiting. But last month I had the worst week when her paralegal lost my medical records twice. Has anyone else had totally different experiences with the same firm?

Heard a lawyer say 'your paperwork is your best witness' in a deposition prep session

It hit me how much my messy records were probably costing me in credibility. Has anyone else had an SSA judge push back because of missing medical notes?

Serious question, why do half these lawyers push SSDI like it's the only option?

I was talking to my neighbor who's got a messed up back from construction work, and she told me three separate disability lawyers in LA only mentioned SSDI applications. Not one of them brought up CalPERS disability retirement or even private LTD through her union. She's 54 and worked public sector for 12 years, so she'd qualify. I work a dive bar in Sacramento and hear this kind of thing all the time from regulars. Has anyone else run into lawyers who just default to federal SSDI without checking state or employer options first?

Had the worst week ever with a SSA denial appeal

I mean, I thought we had a solid case for this client in Fresno. Medical records were all there, two doctor statements, the whole deal. Then the judge denied her in like 20 minutes flat, saying her condition 'didn't meet the listing.' Has anyone else had a hearing that just went totally sideways even when you thought you had everything?

My cousin the lawyer said to handle my own disability hearing, big mistake

So my cousin, he's a real estate attorney, told me I didn't need a disability lawyer for my CA case. Said I could just read the SSA blue book and argue it myself. Took me 4 months to gather medical records and write it all up, and the judge shot me down in 20 minutes flat. Now I gotta start from square one with a lawyer who actually does this stuff. Anyone else get bad advice from someone who should've known better?

My whole appeal got thrown out because of a 3 day delay in the mail

I spent 8 months gathering medical records and a doctor's letter for my SSDI hearing in Fresno, only to have the judge toss it because the disability lawyer's office mailed the paperwork 3 days past the deadline. Has anyone else lost a case over something this stupid with their CA disability lawyer?

Law Offices of Norman J. Homen vs Bill Gordon Associates?

I'm looking for a disability lawyer in CA because my claim got denied. I'm trying to decide between Law Offices of Norman J. Homen and Bill Gordon Associates. Has anyone worked with either of these for SSDI?