Wondering about how fees are calculated in disability cases? Here is a simple explanation!
The fees are set by law at 25% of any back benefit won. The back benefit is the amount of any back pay that the claimant is awarded. The fee includes nothing from ongoing benefits forward in time. And it is ONLY paid if you win your case, it is a so-called “contingency fee.”
These fees are set by must be approved by the decision-maker. Keep in mind that you attorney might win a much larger back benefit for you then you might have achieved on your own. Sometimes prior applications can be reopened, Social Security would rarely do this is on its own initiative but an attorney can often achieve it, substantially increasing the back benefit. SInce 2009, federal regulations sets the maximum fee at $6000 for cases at the administrative law level, cases that go into federal court on appeal may have different fee structures.These fee amounts may not include some authorized expenses such as paying for medical records, this would be part of your contract with your attorney.