Threw $500 at a fancy disability lawyer and got burned hard

I paid a big law firm in San Diego $500 just for an initial consult on my SSDI case, and they basically told me nothing I didn't already know from the SSA website. They promised to handle everything but then dropped my file after two months because my condition wasn't "severe enough" in their eyes. Has anyone else wasted money on a lawyer who didn't even take your case to a hearing?

2 comments

2 Comments

lucasjackson16d ago

I saw a news piece that said most disability lawyers work on contingency, meaning they only get paid if you win. So a $500 upfront fee for a consult is a huge red flag. That law firm took your money and then didn't even fight for you. They basically admitted your case was weak by dropping it, but kept the cash. Real disability lawyers usually do the initial review for free and then take a cut of your back pay. Sounds like you got a predatory firm, not a real disability lawyer.

stella_lane16d ago

So did they actually tell you upfront that they'd charge $500 just to look at your case? Or did it come up later after you already talked to them? I'm asking because it sounds like they were sneaky about the fee schedule. A lot of these firms hide behind vague language in their contracts. You might want to post the name of the firm in case someone else runs into the same trick.