The chances of being granted Social Security disability benefits on the initial application are remote, it is a sad fact that about three quarters of the applications are denied. Once you are denied benefits you will be faced with the complex appeals process, it is at this time you will want to hire disability lawyers in Missouri.
Many lawyers expect at least a portion of their total fee to be paid when they first agree to take the case, disability lawyers do not request a retainer or up-front payment of their fee. These legal professionals work on contingency meaning they get paid when they win the case for the client; if they fail to win they get nothing.
If you opt to hire a lawyer to help with your application for Social Security disability benefits you will be asked to sign an agreement which in effect gives the Social Security Administration the right to pay your lawyer’s fee directly in the event of success. As there are specifics associated with the fee structure the Administration will review the agreement to ensure it meets the fee guidelines.
How much will your lawyer charge?
The maximum fee that disability lawyers in Missouri can charge is fixed by the federal government, the fee is limited to 25 percent of the past due benefits granted by the SSA, this amount cannot exceed $6,000. The legal fee will be taken from the past due benefits, the lawyer cannot lay claim to any portion of your future benefits. If your case fails to prosper and you are not awarded any past due benefits then of course, the lawyer gets nothing. In the majority of cases you will not pay the fee, the lawyers fee will be paid directly from your first payment which is the back pay, what is left is given to you.
Upon approval of your claim the SSA will calculate what is owed in back pay. The amount includes all benefits that are owed you from the date you made the original application up to 12 months. If, for example, your back pay calculates out to be $10,000 the legal fee will be $2,500 which equates to 25 percent, the balance of $7,500 go to you.
While the disability lawyers in Missouri are working on your behalf they will incur out-of-pocket expenses, these expenses will be to your account and are paid as a separate item from the fee.
The cost of engaging disability lawyers in Missouri is small compared to the amount that you stand to lose if you represent yourself and fail to win benefits. To discuss your situation in detail you are invited to contact the lawyers at the Grundy Disability Group, LLC.
