Hiring a Qualified Disability Lawyer in Missouri Claimants who are represented on disability claims in Missouri tend to have a higher rate of approval, a need for fewer appeals, and more favorable "dates of onset" (the date the disability is proven to have begun) that lead to higher back pay benefits. Representation may be through a disability lawyer or a specialized non-attorney disability representative. Many non-attorney reps are former Social Security Administration Claims Specialists and Disability Examiners with an extended history of working from within the federal system. A qualified disability representative will have a knowledge of Social Security administrative law, particularly with regard to how claims are approved through the Social Security listings and the medical vocational grid rules. A qualified and competent disability representative or lawyer will also be skilled in the ability to obtain the most relevant case evidence, analyze it correctly, and incorporate it as part of a winning strategy for a claim. To learn about fees for representation, see: "How do disability lawyers get paid?" Additional information If you are considering filing for Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits in Missouri, you should know up front that the Missouri state disability determination services (DDS) agency turns down most disability applicants. Only about thirty percent of all disability claims, including claims for supplemental security income (SSI), are approved by Missouri disability examiners. In addition, federal statistics indicate that over two-thirds of first appeals filed with DDS in Missouri are denied as well (these first appeals are sometimes referred to as reconsideration appeals). It's hard to be sure if more cases would be approved by disability examiners if claimants had early legal representation. The majority of disability applicants in Missouri do not choose to involve a disability attorney unless their application has been turned down and their appeal for reconsideration was also unsuccessful. Indeed, quite a few disability lawyers will not become involved in a disability case in its early stages, believing that their services are most valuable only at the point in which the claimant is due to appear in a hearing before a federal administrative law judge (this is the second and, in most instances, final level of appeal). So, if you are filing for SSD or SSI in Missouri, when is the best time to retain a disability lawyer? The answer to this question is, as soon as you feel it is needed. If at any point in your case you find that you are having a hard time understanding the process or can't grasp what a disability examiner is asking of you, or if you are simply feeling uncomfortable with any part of the proceedings, you should probably at least consult with an attorney to make sure everything is in order and to get some kind of direction. However, if the Missouri state disability determination services agency has denied your initial claim and turned down your reconsideration appeal, legal representation can definitely improve your chances of winning your case before the disability judge. Disability claimants in Missouri who had legal representation at their administrative hearings won benefits fifty percent more often than claimants who were not represented. Note: The request for reconsideration appeal step is currently suspended in the state of Missouri as Missouri is one of 10 prototype states testing a system in which denied claims move immediately to the hearing level upon appeal. Reconsideration may be reinstated at some point and many consider this likely. In the meantime, a claimant who is denied on a disability application should request, and prepare, for a hearing before a federal administrative law judge. About the Author: Tim Moore is a former Social Security Disability Examiner in North Carolina, has been interviewed by the NY Times and the LA Times on the disability system, and is an Accredited Disability Representative (ADR) in North Carolina. For assistance on a disability application or Appeal in NC, click here. 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