"It Seems Like a Crap Shoot!"

I often hear this phrase from Clients, Potential Clients and People with Experience with the Social Security Disability System. The system is big beyond big, often confusing and,

structured around a significant sized and complex body of law. So I can understand why people might feel this way. I have some Good News though.

It's not a Crap Shoot . . . unless you make it one. How do you make it a Crap Shoot? You fill out the initial application to just "see what happens" because you though you "might get lucky." You take advice from someone you know who won their case even though it significantly differs from yours (but you don't realize this). You assume that because you are disabled under 101 different government and nonprofit programs that you are disabled under the Social Security Definition of Disabled (which is very different). Your Doctor says you should apply even though they know next to nothing about Social Security Disability Law (even if they are a excellent doctor).

Where is this entry leading? What is the moral of this story? Retain an Attorney who you know, like and trust and who has Social Security Disability Law experience and who will work directly and closely with you throughout the process (not pass you off to a paralegal until the day before your hearing). And retain them as early as possible in the process.