Statistics show that your chances are much better with a lawyer or experienced advocate. The lawyers know the rules and are familiar with the judges and adjudicators are looking for. In many states the lawyers can get your past records for free or much reduced costs. The lawyers know which records are key and since their staff do this every day they are often much more successful. When the average person is applying with the stress of their inability to work and frequent problems due to lack of finances cannot persist enough to track down these records.

Social security disability lawyers are experienced in creating the types of questionnaires needed to help your doctors create the type of letter or narrative that can convince the judge or other social security personnel that you are indeed disabled.

Often times the claimant or even the doctor will not focus on the medical problem that must be emphasized for the person to be found disabled. A common occurrence is to see the doctor or claimant focusing on such conditions as diabetes and high blood pressure that if not controlled will lead to the person's possible death, when it is really the old arthritic knee combined with a recent depression due to inability to work or financial stress that will be the key to winning the case.

Like any other hearing, the attorney can prepare the person so that they can testify effectively in court and answer the questions that the social security judges are prone to ask. Also, an experienced lawyer or advocate will be familiar with the tendencies or even prejudices of particular judges which can be very helpful to your case.