If you've been permanently disabled by a life-limiting injury or illness, you deserve to have the necessary financial resources to make ends meet. Social Security disability (SSD) can provide those resources, but the process of obtaining it is complex and more than a little confusing. This is where Social Security disability lawyers and advocates come in. Here are some of the key differences between SSD lawyers and advocates.

Lawyers

Attorneys who work in the field of Social Security disability have an in-depth understanding of how the law works. This knowledge is crucial when pursuing SSD as it provides efficient navigation through a system that is, for many applicants, complicated and involved. A lawyer also has extensive education in the inner workings of the law, so they are well-equipped to create a case that gets you the desired outcome; in an SSD case, that would mean approval of benefits. SSD lawyers are also bound to professional and ethical guidelines.

If your Social Security claim makes it to the final stage of the appeals process, which is a lawsuit in federal court, an attorney's services are mandatory. An SSD advocate cannot represent you in a case that has reached this critical phase. This is a legal area you only want to entrust to a professional—someone who knows the system and how to argue and present a case and will give you the best chance for a successful verdict.

Advocates

An SSD advocate is not required to have a law degree or specialized education or training in the law. Most SSD advocates possess a minimum of a bachelor's degree or have several years of experience in the field of social services. It's important to understand, however, that if you want specific legal expertise, only a lawyer can help.

Also, SSD advocates are not bound by certain ethical and professional guidelines, at least not in the same way attorneys are. Professional conduct, like returning calls in a timely manner and keeping you notified of case updates, are not necessarily requirements for advocates as they are for attorneys. This is something you want to keep in mind when choosing someone for your representation.

The Social Security disability lawyers at David W. Kapor & Associates are here to guide you at every facet of the application or appeals process. They represent SSD clients in Hamilton County and throughout southwest Ohio, northern Kentucky, and southeast Indiana. Call (513) 721-2820 to schedule an appointment today, or visit them online to learn more about their practice areas.