find a general attorney for your future

Disability attorneys handle many different cases for clients seeking compensation or benefits under a disability program. Because there are actually a few different ways in which to acquire disability benefits, one attorney may focus only on one type of disability benefit, while another attorney may focus on another. Of course, there are also general attorneys that are willing to take on disability cases for all types of disability benefits. The following highlights the different types of disability cases that all of these attorneys handle, in case you should need to consult an attorney about your own disability claim.

Employer-Sponsored Disability Benefits

Some employers provide disability benefits. These benefits may be in the form of short-term, long-term, and accidental death and dismemberment benefits (commonly known as ADD) or they may be ERISA benefits. Both require a signed application and pre-tax deductions from your paychecks over time before you can tap into them. If you have been paying into either of these plans for years, your employer and/or the disability insurance company should not be denying you your benefits. Seek out a lawyer if you believe you have a valid claim and you have been denied.

Government-Sponsored Disability Benefits

The federal government also supplies people with disability benefits, if they qualify. You have to apply through your local Social Security Administration office. Since up to sixty percent of all first-time applicants are denied, and even more than that are denied on the first round of appeals, it helps to have a lawyer assisting you with your case. 

Disability Appeals Cases

Appellate court for disability benefits is not something you want to navigate on your own. A disability attorney appears with you before the judge and with your employer, the employer-sponsored disability insurance company, or the SSA caseworker overseeing your application for benefits. If you cannot afford an attorney, there are several disability attorneys that work on contingency until you win your case and start receiving your benefits. Your lawyer may even be able to successfully sue the other party for your legal fees and attorney fees as part of your lawsuit and appeals case.

Reclaiming Benefits after Losing Them

There will also be cases where people lose their benefits for a time, either because they were able to return to work for a period or because household income increased dramatically. If that happens to you, you can reapply for some of these benefits. However, it is even more difficult the second time around when you have had benefits before and lost them. Then you definitely need a lawyer's help.

For more information, visit websites like http://www.chichesterlaw.com.