SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY: ALL THOSE DISGUSTING FORMS, FORMS, FORMS.....and more Forms.....

If you apply for Social Security disability you must fill out the following forms to start:

1. Basic Application- Part 1: 7 pages. 59 questions.

2. Disability Report (Part 2): 8 pages. 63 to 125 questions, depending on how many doctors/providers you have.

3. Function Report: 14 pages. 99 questions.

4. Work History Report: 10 pages. Up to 97 questions.

In addition, Social Security may later mail you pain questionnaires, seizure questionnaires, headache questionnaires--or other complicated forms--containing hundreds of additional questions. These must be completed thoroughly and accurately or your claim will be delayed, dismissed or denied.

Functional capacities, medical source statements and treating opinions will also need to be obtained from your doctors. Social Security will not obtain these opinions, so it's up to you or your attorney to get them from the doctors.

Because of its terrible complexity, most applicants choose to have a lawyer or professional advocate file their application. I know at my office we spend nearly an entire day to file an application. This includes a lengthy interview with the applicant to find out about their conditions, past work, education, medical history and treatment providers. Then, we start the long, tedious process of completing up to 50 pages of the application.

How much do we charge you to file the application? Nothing. Zero. In fact, we will never send you a bill for anything we do. If Social Security approves your claim and plays back pay, they will deduct a small percentage of your back pay for our fee. (You agree to this amount before we file the claim, so there are no surprises).

If your application is among the 77 percent that get denied, we will be available to file the necessary appeals and seek a court hearing to get you paid. All free to you unless you win.

The availability of an experienced, well educated disability attorney or advocate to handle your Social Security disability claim is one of the best bargains in the legal industry. You have an expert at your disposal for free--until your claim is won and your back pay is sent. You never run the risk of running up an attorney's fee and losing your case--because Social Security does not permit an attorney's fee if you lose. What a tremendous bargain for you, the claimant.