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Do You Need a Local Social Security Attorney?

Posted On : May-05-2009 | seen (1022) times | Article Word Count : 622 |

Social Security is a federal program, so one might assume that a local California lawyer may not be needed to handle your case. On the flipside, some might believe that they should only hire a lawyer in their immediate vicinity. Let’s take these issues one by one.
Social Security is a federal program, so one might assume that a local California lawyer may not be needed to handle your case. On the flipside, some might believe that they should only hire a lawyer in their immediate vicinity. Let’s take these issues one by one.

It is true that Social Security is a federal program, but case law varies from circuit to circuit. For example, case law in the 9th circuit helps to interpret how the federal statutes should be applied to residents living in the 9th circuit. Thus, there is both a federal and a circuit component to Social Security Disability law. Technically, a lawyer from New York could help resolve a case in California, but he/she would have to be well-versed in the existing case law of that district. It may be unlikely that you would hire an attorney who lives out of state, but it is important to know the legal implications of statutory and case authority, so you can make an informed decision when choosing an attorney.

Finding a Local Social Security Attorney

What this means is that Social Security law is handled on a state basis, not on a district basis. There is no discernible difference between Social Security Law in San Diego or San Francisco. So if you are looking for a Social Security attorney in California, you could very well look out of your immediate vicinity. It is not necessary for the attorney to be local.

That said, there is some very real value in meeting with a lawyer in your immediate vicinity. Though the Internet makes it much easier to remain in contact with your attorney and be updated on your case, person to person meeting are important. It’s important for a claimant to have confidence in his or her lawyer and though a lawyer may be highly experienced and qualified, meeting directly with a lawyer can instill this sense of confidence.

So hiring a lawyer who works hours away is not necessarily recommended. However, if the Social Security lawyer works a reasonable distance away, this is an important consideration. It is not necessary for the attorney to be in the same neighborhood, or even in the same city, so long as you are fully confident of the attorney’s ability. What is paramount is an attorney’s experience with California Social Security law, so this should be your utmost concern.

When researching a Social Security attorney in California you should look for the most qualified attorney in the state – someone who has been working in Social Security law for many years and has represented a wide variety of cases, including a wide variety of possible illnesses that may qualify for benefits. If this means traveling outside your immediate vicinity, you should do so, as you want the most qualified representation available.

In some cases, an attorney will refer you to another attorney in the state. This may be the case if the attorney has too many cases at once and cannot handle the additional workload. This is common and can actually be a good sign that the lawyer wants to devote as much time as possibly to each individual case. If a lawyer is not able to take a case on, it is not necessarily because he or she doesn’t think your case is viable, but because the lawyer has a full workload. If this is the case, you should look for another lawyer within the state of California or seek out a referral.

Article Source : http://www.articleseen.com/Article_Do You Need a Local Social Security Attorney?_488.aspx

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About Social Security Attorney California:

West Coast Disability Law Group, LLP is an experienced and caring firm. The founding partners have handled thousands of cases and are well-versed in all the areas of Social Security law at every stage. Our attorneys are also knowledgeable in other areas of disability and estate planning law such as veterans disability law, long term disability claims, and healthcare directives.

Keywords : social security attorney california, disability lawyer california,

Category : Reference and Education : Legal

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