Hired a guy off a billboard on Interstate 5 for my SSD case, and I am still laughing about the intake call
Back in 2019 when my back first went out and I could not sit at a desk for more than 20 minutes, I did the classic dumb thing and picked a disability lawyer off a billboard on Interstate 5 near Sacramento because the guy's face looked friendly. I called the number, got a receptionist who put me on hold for 40 minutes, then got a paralegal who asked me my date of birth three separate times in one phone call. Fast forward to 6 months ago when I finally got serious, I sat down with a local attorney in Fresno whose whole office is just her and one assistant, and the intake call took 15 minutes because she asked real questions about my medical records instead of reading off a script. She actually pulled up my file while we talked and pointed out that my old denial letter had the wrong onset date, which the billboard guy never even noticed. The wild part is the billboard lawyer wanted 33 percent off the top and would not even file the appeal without a $500 upfront fee, and the Fresno attorney works on the standard fee agreement where she only gets paid if I win. I still cannot believe I almost handed my case to a guy who could not keep my birthday straight. Has anyone else here switched lawyers mid case, and did the new one have to clean up a mess from the first one?