What we handle
Denials and appeals
Most first disability claims are denied. Many of those are approved later, often once the right records are in the file and someone argues them in front of a judge.
For Social Security, the steps are reconsideration, a hearing before an administrative law judge, and then the Appeals Council. For the VA, you choose a higher-level review, a supplemental claim with new evidence, or an appeal to the Board of Veterans' Appeals. Each has its own deadline and its own rules for new evidence. We pick the right lane and meet the deadline.
Our part
What we do on an appeal
- 01
Read the denial and find the reason behind it
- 02
File the appeal before the deadline
- 03
Fill the gaps in the medical record
- 04
Write a brief to the judge or reviewer
- 05
Prepare you and your witnesses for the hearing
- 06
Question the vocational expert at the hearing
Questions
Appeals questions we hear most
I missed the 60-day deadline. Is it over?
Not always. Social Security can extend it for good cause, and starting a new application is sometimes the better move. Call us with the letter.
What happens at a disability hearing?
It's a recorded meeting, usually under an hour, with a judge, you, us and often a vocational expert. It's not a trial, and no one argues against you.
Which VA review should I choose?
It depends on whether the VA got the law wrong or didn't have the evidence. That's the first thing we figure out together.
Free help
Talk to someone who does this every day.
Call, stop by on a weekday or a clinic Saturday, or send a few details. An attorney or paralegal gets back to you within two business days.
We charge no fee for any service on this site. If a case needs records a provider charges for, we tell you the cost first, and grant funds usually cover it.