What to Know About Disability Law in Washington State
Helping you prove you are disabled and getting you the benefits you are entitled to – is what the experienced representative of Maddox & Laffoon, P.S. do best. With direct support for you from our entire staff, we work as a unit with a mission to improve your quality of life.
Serving Olympia, WA and the surrounding community since 1980, we have a reputation for thoroughness and preparedness that is widely recognized and respected in the legal community.
We have traditionally served clients who reside in Thurston, Pierce, Lewis, Mason, Grays Harbor and Pacific counties, as our office is in Olympia, WA. Since COVID, most of our work, including hearings, has been done by telephone and zoom. This has allowed us to help clients outside our core area. Having successfully represented thousands of clients, we offer you FREE initial consultations and no fee unless we win your case.
Our Disability Law Services Include:
- SSDI and SSI claims
- Social Security Administrative hearings
- Appeals Council representation
- Federal court case representation
- Mental and physical impairment claims
- Initial applications
- Requests for reconsideration
- Requests for hearing
- SSDI claims representation
- SSI claims representation
Should You Call Us?
We start with the premise that if you have not been working because of a medical condition, and you truly believe that you are disabled, you are probably eligible to receive Social Security disability or SSI disability benefits. For this reason, we are always willing to sit down with you and hear your story, without charge. If your application for benefits has been denied by the SSA, please give us a call to discuss the merits of your claim.
Because you have only 60 days to appeal the adverse administrative decision, you should call us as soon as possible after you get an adverse decision. You need to make certain that the 60 day appeal period does not run out, because if it does it is difficult and sometimes impossible to reopen your prior claim.
What We Can Do For You – Disability Law
If you meet with us and decide to retain us to help you with your claim, we will advise you regarding the specific issues presented by your claim, answer any questions you have, assess the merits of your claim, and provide representation based on that assessment.
Once we have had an opportunity to meet with you and review the medical and other evidence in your SSA file, Jeanette or Sirena will be able to answer any questions you have about specific issues in your case.
In some cases, it is possible to obtain a favorable decision on-the-record without the need for (and delay of) an administrative hearing. In these cases, disability must be clearly established by the written medical evidence alone. If there are factual issues that have to be resolved, especially issues of credibility, or if the medical evidence is not conclusive, the case must proceed to a hearing. Jeanette and Sirena analyze the evidence of record and prepare requests for a decision on-the-record where appropriate. Approximately 20% of our cases are resolved in this way.
The chances of winning an approval on-the-record are increased if you are over the age of 50, have a good work record prior to the onset of disability, and your treating physician is supportive of your disability claim. If your denial at the reconsideration level was a “durational denial”, the possibility of receiving an on-the-record decision is also more likely. We can discuss this possible resolution of your claim with you after the SSA file has been received and reviewed.
What to Know About Disability Law
If you pursue all needed treatment available and follow treatment recommendations, you may be able to successfully return to work before the hearing is held. If this occurs, the administrative law judge may order a closed period of disability (i.e. benefits for the period of time you were unable to work) even though you may have already returned to work. Such work can also be considered a trial work period and/or unsuccessful work attempt.
The disability law and rules regarding attempts to return to work are complicated and it is best to seek legal advice before attempting a return to work while your claim is pending, especially during the first year of your disability.
You probably have questions about the disability law adjudication process and the merits of your case. We can answer some of these questions for you when you meet with us to discuss possible representation. After we have an opportunity to review the information in your SSA file, we will be able to answer questions about the merits of your claim and what action you can take to help us present your claim at the hearing level. If you meet with us and decide not to hire us, you will not have to pay us any money.
If you hire us and we help you get a favorable decision, but you do not believe the fee we are charging you is fair, you can request that SSA review the fee to determine if it is fair.
In addition to representing you before the SSA, Hearing Office, Appeals Council and/or Federal District Court, we will do our best to help you understand the process and factors affecting your disability determination. Our goal is to hear your health concerns and to help you through this complex and sometimes bewildering process.
Contact Maddox & Laffoon, P.S. today at 360-786-8276 or 1-800-640-8295,