5 /5 Stacey Roberts-Ohr: I recently received a notification that I have been approved for SSDI! The application process took two weeks– (not months and months, or years and years) yes, you read that correctly. I want to post a review describing my experiences using the services of the LaPorte Law Firm, an Oakland-based firm specializing in Social Security disability cases.
Confused as to where to turn, I found this firm on-line and was really impressed by their comprehensive website and their 50 plus great reviews, so I decided to request a free consultation using their on-line portal. Since I didn’t know of any other Bay-Area based disability lawyers, I thought I’d start my research with them.
The next day, I got a call from Terry LaPorte, the firm’s senior attorney.
During our hour-plus call, Terry explained the application process, defined what a Compassionate Care Allowance is and then educated me about the SSDI “Blue Book”. He also told me about how his fee structure works, and said that he would only get paid if my application was approved.
He did a great job simplifying everything and I didn’t experience any crazy “lawyer speak.”
During our discussion we also touched on the benefits of using a lawyer or just submitting an application on my own, but I never, ever felt like Terry was giving me a “hard sell” to chose his firm. I really appreciated this.
I decided to hire him and he told Maria would call me soon.
Sure enough, the next day, I got an email from Maria who asked me to set-up a phone interview with her to prepare my application. During our two-hour call, she asked me about my current symptoms, my medical providers and my work history.
During our call, Maria was preparing my application for electronic submission. I liked that she didn’t make me feel stupid or show any signs of being annoyed with me when I didn’t know an answer to something, or indicated that I would have to look something up on my computer. She was really nice and very patient.
Within 24 hours of our call, my application to SSDI was submitted electronically. Since my submission she has continued to be highly responsive to all of my questions.
If you are on the fence about hiring a disability lawyer, don’t be. Applying for SSDI can be a very complicated process and over 70% of all applicants get turned down the first time they submit their application. Via several Facebook groups, I learned that some people are on their 3 or 4th appeal process and have been waiting for a decision for 3, 5 or even 10 years! A lot of people reported getting turned down because their doctors offices never sent the paperwork to Social Security, or their application was not filled out correctly. Others reported they didn’t know they needed work credits when they applied. Others stated that they got turned down even though their medical evidence was strong, or they got turned because they didn’t understand the SGA rules. After reading hundreds of frustrating and highly negative user experiences, I was more convinced than ever that I needed to hire a reputable law firm who would make sure my paperwork was submitted 100% error-free and ensure my medical records were received quickly.
I believe I got approved so quickly because my application was rock solid and professionally presented. Even Terry was surprised by the 2-week turnaround. I did qualify for a Compassionate Care Allowance due to a recurrence of cancer, but I anticipated it would take 2-3 months to receive a decision. If denied, I felt confident Terry would competently handle an appeal on my behalf.
In summary, the professionalism of the LaPorte Law Firm, and the knowledge they possess about how to prepare a strong and highly accurate disability claim, made this a really great experience. I’m grateful to Terry and his team and I’m happy that I chose so well. I can’t promise you’ll be approved for SSDI, but I can state that the LaPorte Law Firm will provide you with superb, highly ethical, competent legal representation. I can’t imagine a client having a less-than-stellar experience. They get an A+.
