Social Security Disability Insurance Benefits (SSD SSDI) Lawyer
Tampa Bay Florida, St. Petersburg, Clearwater - Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco Counties

You are not required to have an attorney represent you in your Social Security Disability claim. However, many who ultimately prevail and win their benefits are represented by attorneys. This is because the federal Social Security regulations and rulings are somewhat complex and therefore having an attorney gather evidence, consult with doctors, cross-examine witnesses, and make your arguments for you may increase your chance of success. Except for filing suit in federal court, you can have a non-attorney represent you if you wish. There are several companies and persons who call themselves "Social Security representatives" or "claimant representatives" or something like that who represent people in Social Security disability cases. They usually charge the same fee as an attorney. Whether you are more comfortable proceeding on your own, having a non-attorney represent you, or hiring an attorney to represent you is up to you.

When you hire a Social Security Disability attorney (or a non-attorney representative), you will usually be responsible for certain case costs and an attorney fee or representative's fee. The hiring agreement, usually called a retainer agreement, should be in writing and should explain all of this. All fees paid by you to your attorney or other representative are to be approved by the Social Security Administration prior to payment. In addition, you may be responsible for case costs such as paying doctors to submit reports etc.

There are two ways for an attorney to be paid his attorney fee for representing a client in a Social Security Disability matter. The first attorney fee method is for the attorney to petition the Social Security Administration after winning your disability benefits and explain what the attorney did and how much time was spent and asking for a certain attorney fee based upon the attorney’s efforts and time spent on your case. This method could, depending upon the time expended by the attorney, result in an attorney fee which is a great percentage of the past benefits awarded. The alternative way, the fee agreement process, is for you and your attorney to ask the Social Security Administration to approve the fee agreement in your retainer agreement which the Social Security Administration will do as long as the agreed-upon fee is no more than 25% of the benefits secured by the attorney up to a maximum amount as set forth in Social Security law, which is currently $6,000. For Instance, if your attorney wins your case and you are awarded past due benefits in the amount of $10,000, the Social Security Administration would withhold $2,500 (25%) to be paid directly to your attorney. If you are awarded $24,000 in past benefits, the Social Security Administration would withhold only $6,000 from your past benefits to pay your attorney since 25% of the past benefits is more than $6,000.

At the Law Office of Dennis A. Palso, P.A., we always use the fee agreement process so that there is never any danger of your owing an attorney fee which is a large percentage of your benefits obtained. If we win your benefits, your only attorney fee is 25% of the past due benefits capped at a maximum as set forth above and we never charge any attorney fee based upon future benefits. If we do not win your benefits, we do not charge you any attorney fee or any cost.

At the Law Office of Dennis A. Palso, P.A., we have been representing persons in Social Security Disability appeals throughout the Tampa Bay region for over 24 years. We have clients from all over the area including from St. Petersburg, Tampa, Clearwater, Largo, Pinellas Park, and New Port Richey.
 

For more information about your Social Security Disability claim, contact Florida Social Security Disability lawyer Dennis Palso for a free consultation.

Florida Social Security Disability Insurance attorney Dennis A. Palso represents claimants for Social Security Disability (SSDI) benefits in administrative hearings and before the Federal Appeals Council in the Tampa Bay area, including Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, New Port Richey, Largo, Pinellas Park, Seminole, Palm Harbor, Tarpon Springs, Holiday, Dunedin, Gulfport, Pinellas County, Hillsborough County, and Pasco County FL.