Tips for Choosing a Houston Disability Attorney

Many people elect to complete their disability claims through ERISA, SSI, SSD, Veteran's Disability or through private insurance on their own. However, there are lots of common mistakes, pitfalls and challenges that can easily be avoided by working with a specialized attorney. Selecting the right Houston disability attorney or a disability attorney in any city starts with a bit of research.

First and foremost it is important to find a disability attorney that has the qualifications and experience in the disability insurance industry to ensure your claim is approved. This means that they are a specialty law firm that focuses in on disability issues, not a law firm that does everything imaginable in legal representation. A law firm that has a team of attorneys is also a great option since there are multiple facets of claims that need to be carefully examined and considered. If you are filing for disability having the paperwork accurate and correct right from the start is essential. More than one set of legal eyes reviewing the documentation is a definite plus.

In the state of Texas an attorney can be considered a Board Certified Texas Social Security Attorney only by completing very rigorous training. However, using a Board Certified Houston disability attorney means that you can rest assured the attorney is highly qualified and has both the knowledge and experience to represent you in every step of your claim from the original application through to any appeal processes that may be required. There are attorneys in the state that aren't board certified that do the work, but they don't have the certification to demonstrate their expertise in the field. Since a denial of a claim or an appeal can be both time consuming and stressful, working with the most qualified professional right from the start only makes good sense. Asking the attorney about their specific training and certification is important so don't just go by information provided on a website.

Besides a team, you will want the Houston disability attorney that you select to have real experience in both handling paperwork as well as filing appeals. In many cases an attorney may not be involved in the original application and only start working with the claimant after a denial occurs. Since the original claim has been denied once it is important to choose an attorney that is willing to go as far as necessary with your appeal. This can include mediation or arbitration as an option to going through a formal litigation. Your attorney should have the ability to move your denial appeal right through the Federal Court level or an appeal of a Federal Court decision. While most cases won't go that far, having an attorney that has the ability to take your case all the way through the appeal is essential.

Your comfort level with the Houston disability attorney you select will also be an important consideration. You should meet with the attorney either in person or by phone before deciding if he or she is a good match. Interviewing two or three attorneys is always a good idea, just be sure to work with attorneys that offer a free consultation or initial meeting. The attorney should be able to answer your legal questions in a general fashion, although specifics of your case typically will not be provided until the attorney reviews documentation. This first session will often include general information about timelines, options for filing, recommendations for documentation as well as general information about ranges of settlement amounts.