Just found out 70% of initial disability claims get denied in California

I was reading through some stats on the SSA website yesterday and it blew my mind that nearly 7 out of 10 first time claims are rejected here in CA. That number is way higher than I expected. I figured maybe half get denied, but 70% is rough. It really makes me appreciate the lawyers who help folks through the appeals process since most people end up needing them anyway. Has anyone here had their first claim approved without a lawyer, or did you get hit with that denial too?

2 comments

2 Comments

mason.brian7h ago

Hired a lawyer right away, got approved on first try.

the_hayden5h ago

You said "hired a lawyer right away" and that's interesting. So did you just use one of those online disability firms or did you actually find a local lawyer who specializes in this stuff? Because I've heard some people say the big firms just farm cases out to whoever and you end up with someone who doesn't really know your situation. How much did that whole lawyer thing cost you upfront, or did they work on contingency?