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Getting a Disability Lawyer in Arizona for a Social Security or SSI ClaimIf you are considering filing for social security disability (SSD) benefits in Arizona, your chances of winning benefits are a little less than 50/50. In Arizona, 53.4% of all initial disability claims are turned down by the Arizona disability determination services (DDS). If you appeal the denial by filing a request for reconsideration with DDS, your chances of winning are 30.6%, which means that about two-thirds of all appeals are denied. If these figures seem discouraging, you might be surprised to learn that Arizona SSD approval rates are actually well above the national average. Simply put, Arizona residents are more likely to win disability benefits than applicants in other states; however, despite this relatively favorable climate, it is important to keep in mind that, at the first two levels of the disability determination process, the odds of winning are against you. Those filing for SSD or supplemental security income (SSI) benefits in Arizona will probably find that they are able to comply with the most basic requests for information and filing deadlines of the social security administration (SSA) and the Arizona Disability Determination Services without any need for legal counsel (though it should be noted that some cases are lost because DDS was not notified of specific medical record documentation and a significant percentage of claimants who are without representation fail to file an appeal on a timely basis). There will be quite a few individuals, however, whose claim will be denied by DDS at both the initial claim and reconsideration appeal levels, and will need help making their case for disability. Those who have been denied twice by DDS should consult with a disability attorney or qualified non-attorney representative. It is never recommended that a claimant should go to a disability hearing unrepresented even if they have proceeded through the first appeal level, the request for reconsideration, unrepresented. It is often the case that judges will even advise claimants who show up unrepresented at hearings to have their hearings rescheduled so as to allow the claimant the opportunity to consult with a representative before the hearing is conducted. The second appeal is a Request for Hearing before an Administrative Law Judge. It is important to keep in mind that the second appeal will be considered not by an Arizona disability examiner, but by a federal administrative law judge (ALJ), and it is here that most claimants can benefit from representation provided by a competent disability attorney. Arizona disability applicants are about 50 percent more likely to win benefits from an administrative law judge than those who represent themselves, perhaps, in part, because judges are more receptive to arguments presented by lawyers. However, this is more likely, because a lawyer who specializes in SSD and SSI claims in Arizona will be able to put together a better argument and a stronger case. Unrepresented claimants generally are unaware of what is required to properly prepare a case prior to hearing, or even what types of evidence to focus on, let alone the importance of obtaining a medical source statement from a claimant's treating physician. 
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