How our Tampa disability attorneys will assist with your claim
Our disability law firm has been practicing in central Florida for many years. Our expertise and legal ability are proven tools enabling disabled individuals to get the benefits they deserve. If you are unable to work because of illness or injury, you may be eligible for Social Security disability benefits. We invite you to contact a Tampa disability attorney at our offices for an evaluation of your case.
When hiring a Florida disability lawyer, you want someone you can trust. We offer a free initial consultation so you can meet us in person and decide if we are the right lawyers for you.
Social Security law is one of our main areas of concentration. We have the resources, experience, and ability to guide your case to its best possible outcome.
If we serve as your Tampa disability attorneys, we will:
- Help you complete your application and appeal forms.
- Gather evidence to prove your disability.
- Prepare you and your witnesses for your hearing.
- Advocate for you at your hearing.
- Handle further appeals if appropriate.
Help with your application and appeal forms
You will have to fill out various forms to apply for Social Security disability benefits and to appeal if your application is denied. We can help you complete the forms and offer you some valuable tips for answering the questions.
Here is one tip: be thorough and specific in your answers to all questions. For example, don’t say, “I can’t sit very long.” Instead explain: “I can’t sit for more than 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, the pain in my low back is so bad that I have to get up and walk around.” Attach an additional sheet of paper if the form does not give you enough space to write a complete answer.
Gathering evidence
Social Security personnel will attempt to gather evidence of your disability. Before making a determination, Social Security decision makers are required by regulation to “make every reasonable effort” to develop your medical history. But Social Security employees have many cases to process. They do not always have the time to fully develop the evidence. And mistakes sometimes happen. Doctors may send wrong or incomplete records, records are lost in transit, or they are filed in the wrong file.
We review your Social Security file to see what evidence it contains. If any of your relevant medical records are missing, we will obtain them and submit them to Social Security. We will also obtain additional documents, such as work or school records, if they would be helpful to your claim.
In addition to gathering your records, we will work with your treating doctors to obtain written opinions. A properly prepared written opinion from a treating doctor is important evidence in a disability claim. The Social Security Administration may be required to adopt your treating doctor’s opinion if it meets certain requirements.
But doctors often don’t know how to prepare an opinion. We educate your doctors on the requirements. Most doctors are very busy and have trouble finding the time to write opinions. We can make it easier for the doctor to complete the opinion by sending the doctor questions to answer or forms to complete that are tailored to your unique situation.
Your disability hearing
If your case is like most, you will have to appeal and attend a hearing before an administrative law judge in order to win your benefits. You and your disability lawyer will get together before your hearing date for a preparation session. Your lawyer will take the time to explain exactly what will happen at your hearing. He or she will review with you where to go, what time to be there, how to dress, and what to do and what to avoid. Your lawyer will go over the questions you are likely to be asked. He or she will discuss the best ways for you to describe your pain and other symptoms and how they affect your daily activities. Your lawyer will have similar meetings with your witnesses.
When your hearing date arrives, your disability attorney will be by your side to present your case in the best possible light to the administrative law judge. Your lawyer will make arguments to the judge explaining why you are disabled according to Social Security rules and regulations. As the hearing progresses, your lawyer will question you and other witnesses, object to improper evidence, and cross-examine vocational and medical experts if any are presented by Social Security.
Our core values
We provide each of our Florida Social Security clients with compassionate, professional service from the initial consultation through the conclusion of the case. We keep our clients fully informed about the status of their claims. We return all calls and emails.
You can expect the core values of communication, honesty, and excellence from every legal professional from us.
Contact us for assistance
If you do not already have a Florida Social Security lawyer and would like us to evaluate your claim, give us a brief description of your claim using the form on this page, and we will respond promptly. Or you may email us.
Brandon and Tampa disability lawyers
