Resources Archives - Burch and Rodgers SSDI and SSI Attorneys

This blog post category includes content related to the resources topic, including pertinent content related to Social Security Disability (SSDI) law.

Resources

Should I hire an attorney or a non-attorney “advocate” to represent me?

An attorney has completed law school, passed a bar exam and been licensed by the state. An attorney must complete several hours of continuing legal education every year. A lawyer must follow a strict code of conduct. A NON-attorney representative is not trained in the law. Here is why you should choose a licensed attorney rather than an advocate.

A Social Security Disability attorney has the legal background necessary to provide you full representation before all levels of appeal, especially at the hearing level.
All legal details will be prepared by the attorneys, taking the burden off your shoulders.
Attorneys Burch & Rodgers will prepare strategy specific to your case.
The chances of victory in your Social Security Disability case are substantially increased when you have an attorney who understands the law, can gather evidence, track down medical information and shoulder the legal burden.

Contact Burch & Rodgers to talk to one of our experienced Social Security Disability attorneys today.

Resources

Social Security Disability Benefits in Fayetteville, NC

Secure Your SSD Benefits with Strong Support from Burch & Rodgers

Fayetteville is home to many military members and their families, and Burch & Rodgers provides the experience and skills needed to navigate SSA’s disability benefits process. Whether you need help with an initial application or an appeal, our firm helps you get the benefits you deserve. We aim to provide support for our clients without adding unnecessary financial stress to their lives; we only collect fees if you win your case.

What are Social Security disability benefits?

Chances are you’ve heard about the disability benefits offered by the Social Security Administration (SSA), but you may not have a clear line of sight on what those benefits look like for you. Generally speaking, these benefits include monetary coverage for disabled workers and their dependents, including wounded warriors and veterans.

Two main programs are used to provide these benefits to eligible and accepted applicants: Social Security Disability Insurance Benefits and Supplemental Security Income disability benefits. Social Security Disability Insurance pays benefits to you and certain members of your family if you have worked long enough and paid Social Security taxes.Supplemental Security Income pays benefits based on financial need.

Who Is & Is Not Eligible to Apply?

There are lots of rules, regulations and guidelines to follow to determine if you’re eligible to apply for SSA disability benefits. Rest assured, if you live in Fayetteville, NC and are wondering about whether or not you can apply, we can help!

Generally, you must meet two requirements to submit an application:

You must have worked in jobs covered by Social Security. Please note there are additional requirements based on the number of years worked and the age you are when you become disabled. We are happy to help clarify what this means for your unique situation, give us a call.
You must have a medical condition that meets the definition of disability provided by the SSA. Please note, the definition of disability is different under Social Security than it is for other government programs. According to the SSA website, they consider a person disabled under their rules if:
1. The person cannot do work that they did before;
2. The SSA decides that the person cannot adjust to other work because of their medical condition(s); and
3. The person’s disability has lasted or is expected to last for at least one year or to result in death.

Special Eligibility For Wounded Warriors, Veterans & More

If you are a veteran and/or wounded warrior, if you are blind or have low vision, if are a widow/widower of a worker, or if you have a disabled child, these are all unique situations where it is possible to meet the criteria for receiving additional disability benefits from the SSA.

If you have questions about whether these special situations apply to you or a member of your family, please reach out to our team. Our qualified representatives are here to clear the air and explain the nuances of the disability benefits process.

Has Your Claim Been Denied? We’ll Fight For The Benefits You Deserve

If you already submitted your application for Social Security disability benefits and it was denied, we understand that it can feel like the end of the road for receiving the benefits you deserve. But remember: millions of people apply for these benefits every single year with the expectation that it will be instantly approved. In reality, the cogs of the Social Security Administration’s processes don’t always turn that smoothly.

In fact, upwards of 72% of all initial applications submitted by citizens are not approved by the Social Security Administration. Thankfully, there are local attorneys in Fayetteville, like the Burch & Rodgers firm, who specialize in precisely this area of the law. We provide personalized assistance in appealing a denial, so you have the best shot at approval. When you choose a skilled social security disability attorney to represent you, they will work with you to get you the benefits needed to make ends meet.

Don’t give up hope–the attorneys at Burch & Rodgers are here to help. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by the requirements and the processes needed to receive these benefits, but you can count on Burch & Rodgers to help you navigate the twists and turns with ease.

Choose Burch & Rodgers to Go to Bat For You

We have a combined 60+ years of experience practicing Social Security Disability law in North Carolina, and every single disability case we handle is essential to our team. This experience lends itself to more promising outcomes for our clients, as well.

Contact a Lawyer About Your Fayetteville Social Security Claim

Choose the lawyers at Burch & Rodgers to aggressively pursue your appeal. Call our toll-free number today to speak with a qualified representative: 800-662-8702.

Not ready to pick up the phone yet but still have questions? Send us a note via our contact form, and we’ll be in touch shortly to assist you.

Resources

Profiles in Specialization – Laurie Burch and Kevin Rodgers

By Denise Mullen, Assistant Director of Legal Specialization

I recently had the opportunity to talk with law partners Laurie Burch and Kevin Rodgers, both board-certified Social Security Disability specialists practicing in Raleigh. Burch attended Campbell University School of Law and Rodgers received his law degree from Wake Forest University School of Law. Each began their legal career in Social Security Disability law: Rodgers as a Hyatt Lawyer, and Burch in private practice.

They formed Burch & Rodgers in 2000 after working together at a larger firm for nearly a decade. In 2006 when the Board of Legal Specialization launched the new certification in Social Security Disability law, they quickly signed up for the exam. Their firm is one of only a few in the state in which all of the lawyers are board-certified specialists. Following are some of their comments about the specialization program and the impact it has had on their firm.

Q: When you established Burch & Rodgers, what was your vision for the firm?

A: Burch – We knew that the firm would specialize in Social Security Disability law. We knew that we worked well together and that we shared the common goal of doing our absolute best for clients with Social Security and disability problems.

Rodgers – The reality is that the work has become much more difficult in recent years as procedures are changing and the Social Security Administration has faced budget problems. Our firm’s vision, however, remains the same — to provide our clients with the best representation and counsel possible.

Q: Does certification help the firm and your clients?

A: Rodgers – Yes, it does. We’ve all had extensive training in Social Security law and have attained a depth of knowledge in that one practice area. We don’t handle a mix of cases — we handle this one type of case and we are committed to doing it well. Clients are better educated now than even ten years ago; they know what to look for in a lawyer.

Q: What do your clients say about your certification?

A: Burch – Some come into the office having done a lot of research beforehand and already knowing that we are board-certified. They see it as a good thing. They appreciate the extra effort that we’ve made and our commitment to Social Security Disability law.

Rodgers – Clients can now file their own forms with the Social Security Administration. There are so many different types of claims to choose from that it can be very confusing. In many cases, there are also peripheral issues, like retirement or unemployment benefits or workers’ compensation claims that really require a sophisticated understanding of the law. Our clients look to us to help them figure out what’s best for their particular situation.

Q: How do clients find you? What are your best referral sources?

A: Burch – Most of our referrals come from former, satisfied clients.

Rodgers – We also get a fair number from workers’ compensation attorneys.

Q: Are there any hot topics in your practice area?

A: Rodgers – There are a few very large, out-of-state law firms handling cases here in North Carolina. They send forms to clients through the mail and don’t actually meet their clients or appear in person at the hearing. In addition, many of the hearings are now handled through video conferencing rather than in person.

Burch – That’s why it’s so important to us that we meet our clients before and at the hearing. We view our clients’ credibility as a very important part of the case that we’re handling.

Q: Does certification benefit the legal profession?

A: Rodgers – Attorneys do a better job, in general, when they focus on learning one area well. When we studied for the specialization exam, we all learned something new that then helped us in our practice.

Q: Any tips for other lawyers preparing to take the exam?

A: Burch – There are many resources available to help with studying, including the NOSSCR (National Organization of Social Security Claimants’ Representatives) monthly newsletters and the North Carolina Advocates for Justice list-serve.

Rodgers – It is a challenging test, so I would recommend taking a review course, talking with other lawyers who took the exam and to start memorizing numbers – things like limits, dates, and exceptions. Having some of those things memorized will help answer some of the questions quickly and leave additional time for thought on the more complicated questions.

Q: How do you see the future of specialization?

A: Rodgers – These days you can’t be competitive unless you specialize, particularly in a city like Raleigh where there are so many attorneys. It’s more and more difficult to have a general practice and do good work — clients figure out which attorneys are good at handling complex cases.

Attorney Guide: 101Attorney.com is an online attorney resource website that provides attorney news, attorney guide, attorney finder, etc.

For more information on the State Bar’s specialization program, please visit us on the web at nclawspecialist.gov.