Like all forms of law, there are many rules and regulations on the books. These help govern the way individuals interact with the legal system and one another. Without these rules it would be quite chaotic.
Recently, we sat down with a disability attorney in Brevard, County Florida for a quick chat about her particular field of practice. This is how the conversation went:
Q: “What would you say that most people don’t understand about disability law and disability attorneys?”
A: “Most people believe you should only hire an attorney after things have started to go south. The truth is that hiring a disability attorney from the start is the best time to do so. For a relatively small fee, an attorney improves your chances of getting approved by about 50%.”
Q: “Do people have to pay an up-front retainer and eventually fees for your work?”
A: “No. There is no retainer, and we only get paid if you are approved for disability.”
Q: “What should someone who is searching for an attorney do to find a good one?”
A: “First, they should ask people they know if they have ever used a disability attorney and if they feel comfortable referring them. Second, it helps to read online reviews on sites like Google and Findlaw to see what others are saying.”
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Q: “Do attorneys differ from one field to another?”
A: “Yes. You typically see attorneys who are in it to get very wealthy mainly stay in certain areas of the law like criminal defense and personal injury. These fields have very high limits as to what an attorney can charge. In my field, we are capped at how much we can make for the entirety of the case. We feel like we are genuinely helping others get the help they are entitled to.”
In summary, it is quite eye opening to see how different legal fields require different kinds of lawyers. And the type of person who gets into a certain kind of law appears to be very different as well.
After all, disability benefits are something to which we are all entitled because we have paid into the system from our first day on the job. A disability attorney just helps their client get past the screening portion and past all of the so-called gatekeepers.
Disability Statistics in the United States
In the United States, as of 2024 data (the most recent comprehensive figures available), approximately 8.3 million individuals receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits, including 7.2 million disabled workers and about 1.1 million dependents such as spouses and children. Additionally, around 6.2 million people receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments specifically due to disability or blindness, out of a total of 7.4 million SSI recipients overall. Accounting for roughly 2.5 million individuals who receive both programs concurrently, the unique number of Americans receiving disability-related benefits totals about 12 million. These programs provide crucial financial support to those unable to work due to severe impairments, with average monthly SSDI payments around $1,500 and SSI around $700, often supplemented by Medicaid coverage.
