Q: Do I need to find a Disability lawyer before applying or only after my first application is rejected?
At this point, I can't seem to figure out whether I'm even eligible. I'm 57 and am an adjunct music professor at a state university here in Ohio. I've suffered two strokes, though they were both 5 years ago, and while I can do my job, learning something new would prove quite a challenge. My school is cutting back my class schedule and I don't think I have many - if any - marketable skills to try to compete for a job in another field. I don't have a lot of options.
A: You do not have to hire an attorney to file your claim. Some people prefer to do that, particularly if they can find an attorney with a lot of experience handling Social Security cases who can assist you with the application. If you are still able to work, then that may make you ineligible for benefits. That depends on how much you are earning. Go ahead and apply because the worst thing that will happen is that your claim is denied. If you don't have an attorney assist you with the application, be sure to call one as soon as you get the denial notice.
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