Difference Between a Disability Advocate and Lawyer

Qualifications of Disability Advocates vs. Disability Lawyers

These are ways that the backgrounds of disability lawyers and disability advocates differ:

Education

• Disability advocates have training and certification in handling disability claims.
• Disability lawyers have much more extensive professional law degrees.

Skills

• The advanced training of a lawyer prepares them to approach a case from every angle: analyzing documents, gathering evidence, interviewing witnesses, building legal arguments, navigating complicated government systems, spotting when the system breaks its own rules.
• The training of disability advocates is more narrowly focused on the steps to the Social Security Disability process.

Handling Hearings

• If you’re denied disability benefits, you face a legalistic process more in line with what lawyers are trained to handle, including testifying at a hearing with a disability judge.
• Disability advocates can help with the appeals process, but they don’t have as much training in areas such as answering questions from a judge or cross-examining witnesses who testify about you at your disability hearing.

To find out more about what your Social Security Disability case may involve, you can tell our disability law firm about your situation, and we’ll discuss it with you—no charge or commitment.

Do I Need a Disability Attorney or Disability Advocate at All?

You aren’t required to get professional help with your Social Security Disability claim.

You can apply for benefits on your own.

But there are many reasons why you might want to work with someone like an attorney or advocate who deals with this program every day:

• Having help saves you work and stress.
• Someone experienced in the disability benefits system can help you avoid mistakes.
• It’s easy to feel lost in the system. Your attorney or advocate makes sure you get personal attention.
• It’s reassuring knowing someone capable is handling your claim.
• People with representatives can have a better chance of being approved for benefits, according to statistics from the government.

While you can go through this process alone, you don’t have to. It’s low-risk and low-cost to get a skilled person to support your disability claim.

If you live in Wisconsin, can’t work and need financial relief, talk to us a Geary Disability Law. We know what to do next.