Where Are You In The Social
Security Disability Process?
Are You an
Investigator, Decider, or a Claimant?
After doing this for over 30 years, it has been our experience that people who contact us about disability cases are in one of the following groups:
1. INVESTIGATORS: People who have begun investigating Social Security Disability and SSI, but have not decided to file an application,
2. DECIDERS: People who have decided to file, and are researching whether they should file on their own or get help, and
3. CLAIMANTS: People who have already filed, and need help now because their claim has been denied, or because it is taking too long.
Whichever group you are in, Heard & Smith wants to help you whether you decide to hire us to represent you or not.
This page contains valuable resources to help you learn more about Social Security Disability and SSI, regardless of where you are in the process.
1. INVESTIGATORS.
If you are in this group you may want to click on the following links to read about the differences between Social Security Disability Insurance benefits and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. We also have several frequently asked Social Security Disability questions and their answers here: SSD FAQ, SSI FAQ.
2. DECIDERS.
If you are in this group you may find these articles useful. Click on the following links to read articles on how to apply for benefits, the five steps of every Social Security Disability case, and the issues to be aware of if you are considering handling a disability case on your own.
3. CLAIMANTS
These people are typically researching disability law firms like Heard & Smith because they plan to hire someone to take over responsibility of their case. If this describes you then you should call us right away at (800) 584-3700 or complete our contact form to request a call back.
You should get your case evaluated quickly because these cases have strict time limits. If you don’t follow the time limits you could lose your right to win disability benefits or lose a portion of your back award.
Heard & Smith is committed to helping you become well informed, so that you can decide the best way to seek the benefits you deserve. If we do represent you, we will file your application for you, handle the appeal paperwork, and even represent you at your hearing, all at no cost to you unless we win you your benefits. We only get a fee if we win you your benefits, and our fee comes from your back award, and is paid to us by the Social Security Administration. If you win, but do not receive a back award, we do not receive a fee.
We hope the information linked to from this page will help you regardless of where you are in the process. If you have a question about your disability case that you don’t find answered in the resources linked to above, then contact us here or give us a call at (800) 584-3700.
For more information on our attorneys, please visit Our Attorneys page.
For more information on Social Security Disability, please see:
Social Security Disability Income (SSDI) FAQs
Supplemental Security Income (SSI) FAQs
Social Security Disability Links
Social Security Glossary
