Different Between an Advocate and Social Security Attorney

When you are in the process of filing for Social Security, you are told that there are Social Security advocates available for free. At first, this is exciting news, legal help and for free! But, in reality, they are not as good as lawyers and they are focused on too many clients at once. Social Security advocates don’t have a full grasp of the law like a Social Security attorney in Orange does. While they can help you fill out paperwork, they aren’t suitable to help you prepare for a hearing or even during the hearing.

 

Attorney-Client Privileges

By law, your attorney must keep any information you give them confidential, so you will never have to worry about others finding out information about your claim. Advocates are not under the same rules, so they are able to discuss your case with others. If privacy is one of your top priorities, it is probably best to hire a Social Security attorney.

 

Easier Process

It is likely that your claim will be denied the first time you apply, so most people have to wait until their appeal to get compensation. While an advocate can help get with the appeal, they are not as familiar as lawyers are with hearings and proceedings. Advocates also may run into trouble when they are seeking medical records and written statements from healthcare professionals.

 

Since advocates are not paid by case and have hundreds of clients to help, they aren’t as focused as a Social Security attorney will be. A lawyer only gets paid if they win, so there is a little extra push for doing great work. Hiring a Social Security attorney in Orange will take some of the pressure off of you when applying for Social Security. Contact The Law Offices of Norman J. Homen today.