Unlike many lawyers, a Social Security lawyer does not charge legal fees up front nor do they require a retainer and periodic payments. A Social Security lawyer in Chicago gets paid once he or she wins the case for the client, this fee arrangement is called a “contingency fee.”
What is the fee if benefits are granted?
The fee arrangement is actually quite simple; it is mandated by the Administration. The legal fee is 25 percent of past-due benefits, not to exceed $6,000. It is important to note that the fee is only paid out of the back pay that is awarded.
It does not cost you anything when you hire the lawyer nor are you responsible for making the payment in the event you are granted disability benefits. The amount is deducted from the back pay, this money is paid directly to the lawyer; the balance is credited to your account.
As the case progresses the lawyer will normally incur certain out of pocket expenses such as ordering copies of your medical records from your doctors. Over and above the fee noted, you will be responsible for reimbursing the lawyer but the amount is usually quite small.
What is “back pay?”
Back pay is the money you would have received if you had been approved for benefits in the first place, in many cases this is dated back to the date of your initial claim, in other cases it will go back 12 months before you applied. The legal fee is taken from this money; your Social Security lawyer in Chicago does not receive a portion of any future benefits.
Future benefits:
When your claim is approved you will start getting mostly benefits direct from Social Security. This benefit will continue until such time the Administration no longer believes you are disabled or you reach retirement age and collect retirement benefits.
Hiring a Social Security lawyer in Chicago is actually an investment, one that will pay for itself many times over. To discuss your disability claim in detail you are invited to have your cases evaluated by the skilled lawyers at The Law Offices of Rabin, Kodner & Brown, Ltd at http://www.rabinsslaw.com/
