Our office charges no fee for any work on your Social Security disability case unless and until a favorable decision is made. We can help you file a claim Before contacting the Social Security Administration, it may be helpful to consult an attorney to determine if you have a valid claim and what type of claim you should file. The Texas Law Offices of Martin A. Harry offers a free consultation for this purpose. An application can be started by scheduling a home or office visit with Martin A. Harry, Attorney at Law. He will assist you in scheduling an interview with your local Social Security office and explain what will be discussed. He will identify potential problems with your case. Our office helps save you the time and travel to the Social Security office. When an interview is done, application forms will be completed as well. These forms must be completed carefully and thoughtfully. They will remain a part of the claim file during the entire application and appeal process. Our office can review the application forms with you and assist you in completing them correctly, and in the most effective manner. Once the application is submitted, it is critical to your case to provide evidence of your disability. Our office has Medical Records Specialists who are dedicated to obtaining needed medical treatment records. We work with your doctors to get the information that will support your claim. Legal knowledge and claims experience guides our efforts to present the case to the Social Security Administration to your best advantage. We can help you file an appeal If your claim is denied, you have a right to appeal the decision. There are four appeal levels. The first appeal is called "reconsideration." Reconsideration is a complete review of your claim by someone who did not take part in the first decision. All the evidence considered in the application and any new evidence submitted will be evaluated. Ordinarily, there is no hearing involved, unless you are appealing a decision that you are no longer disabled. If your claim is denied after reconsideration, you may request a hearing, the second appeal. A hearing will be conducted by an administrative law judge who had no part in the first decision or the reconsideration of your case. The hearing is usually held within 75 miles of your home. You will have an opportunity to personally appear and present your case. As your representative, Martin A. Harry will advise you regarding the procedure of the hearing and the issues to be discussed. Our office will review your case file and update the record with medical evidence as appropriate. At the hearing, the judge will question you and any witnesses you bring to the hearing. The judge often schedules a medical expert and a vocational expert to appear as well. As your representative, Martin A. Harry will be prepared to question expert witnesses and make certain facts favorable to you are presented. If you disagree with the hearing decision, you may ask for review by the Appeals Council. The appeals council may or may not review a judge's decision. At this stage, our office monitors the case while it remains pending, keeps the record updated with relevant evidence and presents a brief to the Appeals Council in support of the case. If the Appeals Council believes the judge's decision is correct, it will decline to review it. If a review is conducted, the Appeals Council will either reverse the judge's decision and issue a favorable decision or send the case back to the judge for further consideration. If you disagree with the Appeals Council's decision, you may file a lawsuit in federal district court.