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?

3 comments

3 Comments

sam_thomas5d ago

Oh man, this is a TOUGH one. My buddy Tom tried to do it all himself first, read every guide online, filled out every form perfectly, and still got denied in 4 months flat. Then he hired a lawyer for the appeal and it STILL took another 8 months to get approved. Meanwhile, my cousin just paid a disability lawyer from the very start and had a decision in like 7 months total. The lawyer caught some minor wording issues in his application that would have gotten him denied for sure. So honestly I'd say pay the lawyer first, save yourself the headache of waiting through that first denial.

drew_bennett242d ago

I spent 3 months filling out my own application and got denied for something dumb like I wrote “depression” instead of “major depressive disorder.” @the_eric is spot on about lawyers catching that stuff, I ended up paying one anyway and felt like an idiot for not doing it sooner. Honestly, you’re just paying a guy to save you from your own mistakes which is basically what all my life choices boil down to.

the_eric5d ago

Man I used to be all about the DIY approach for everything, figured why pay a lawyer when you can just read up on it yourself. But after seeing how badly my own application went, I totally flipped on this. @sam_thomas you're absolutely right, I wasted months trying to get it right on my own and still got denied over some stupid technicality like I forgot to list one doctor visit. A lawyer would've caught that from the start and probably saved me a whole year of waiting. Now I tell everyone just bite the bullet and pay for the lawyer first, it's way less stress and honestly the fee comes out of your back pay anyway so you're not really losing money.