Do You Need A Representative?

Testimonials

Dear Tracy & Mike, I can’t thank you enough for representing me. I am very grateful for the outcome, which gave me back a lot of my dignity. God bless you both.Monica
Mr. Cooke & Mike, Thanks for all your help. I greatly appreciate everything.Tamara
Tracy & Michael, Thank you both 4 all your help in my S.S. disability case. God bless you both! – PS: I will refer others to you who need help!Jeanne
Dear Mr. Tracy Cooke. I am writing to thank you for your Representation in my claim. Your through efforts to track down medical records really helped significantly. Keeping me updated…Bailey
Dear Tracy, Enclosed is a check for your case expenses. I am Steve’s aunt and I have been set up as his Representative Payee. Thank you very much for all your help. We appreciate all…Lily
Hi Mr. Cooke, Please find enclosed the balance due for your services. Thank you for everything!Kim
Cooke & Company, Thank you so very much!Cynthia
Dear Mr. Cook, you are great representatives. Thank you so much for all your help.Theresa
Tracy Cooke & Mike, Thank you very much for the wonderful result. I appreciate you both. Thanks again.Betsy
Mr. Cooke & Mike, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for all you have done in my behalf. Thanks! I really do appreciate it.Jim
Cooke & Company, Inc, Thank you for all the effort you put into winning my case for SSI. It’s been a very hard road, and you have made it significantly easier. You all remain in my…Hannah
Sir, Enclosed is a check as payment in full for your services in representing me in obtaining a favorable decision from the social Security Administration in my disability application. I…Michael
Tracy & Mike! Thank you for really being there for us. PeaceBrandy & Tawnya
Tracy, enclosed you will find a check for your services. Thank you so much for your help. It was a pleasure to work with you.Sierra
“Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.” – 1 John 4:7-9 (NIV) – Wishing you a blessed Christmas…Lorraine
Thanks for all your help. Never would have happened without you guys. Thanks again!Nancy & Jake
Dear Tracy & Mike, Thank you both for all your help, support, questions answered throughout this SS process!! Tracy, Mike was SO…Vivian
1000 thank yous! Please send me some business cards so I can give them out at groups I attend.Brian
Tracy & Mike, Thank you so very much for everything!Doris
Mr. Cooke & Mike, I wish to thank you both for the exceptional help you provided to us. Take care.Kim
Thank you for all your hard work and a successful outcome. Mike you are a great help with all my questions. Again, thank you.Melody
Dominic & I would like to thank you for all of the work you both did on our behalf. God Bless and with sincere appreciation.Cathy
Hello Mr. Cooke, Thank you for representing me. You did a fine jib. You and Mike were a pleasure to deal with. Very professional, very polite, always. If there is anything else you need…Angie
Dear Mike, Thank you and Tracy for all you’ve done to help me. I honestly don’t know how I would have made it through to this point. This has helped make a major difference in…Gina
Tracy & Mike, Thank you both so much for your professional expertise. I’m glad you were both there for me with your expertise and know how.Mary
Hi Tracy, Here’s the payment for your work as my representative. I want to thank you & Michael for all your work. Now I can make other plans.Sheila
Dear Mr. Cooke, Thank you again for everything! It never would have happened if not for you!Sally
Tracy Cooke & Mike, Thank you so much for your help.Kathy
Dear Tracy M. Cooke, I would like to thank you for your SSA services you have given me. I would also like to thank Mike Benjamin for his help with my mental & physical well being. It…Steven
Dear Cooke and Company, I wanted to tell you how much I appreciate the kindness and help that you gave to me with my court hearing and the support that Mike gave with the overwhelming…Lois
Mike & Mr. Cooke, Thank you so very much for all your help. In a great time of need in my life you were there for me.Lisa
Thank you so much for all that you guys did in helping win my case. I’m doing good. I finished my chemo this week as that is a very good thing. Thank you for asking.Kandise
Hi guys, I cannot thank you enough for all your hard work. God’s Blessing for you for all you do for people like me.Jean

lawyersTo answer that question you need to understand that winning Social Security disability benefits is not about what you can no longer do because of your disability. It’s about what you can still do despite your disability! And that is a very fine and legally-crucial line.

 The “Burden of Proof”

A Social Security disability Administrative Law Hearing is an evidentiary hearing, rather than a legal trial like you see in all those great television dramas, thus, the formal rules of evidence are not as rigorously applied. It is the one area of law a layman or non-attorney is allowed to practice. You are not required by law to have a disability representative, and can indeed represent yourself, though professional representation is a good idea because the legal “Burden of Proof” is on you to prove that you are disabled under federal law. Thus, winning a disability hearing is not just about getting your medical records before the judge and telling him about your medical condition. It’s also about how those medical records prove your vocational limitations.

Additionally, there may be a government Medical Expert (ME) at the hearing and he may disagree with your doctor’s medical opinion. And there will be a Vocational Expert (VE) present, and she’s going to be talking in vocational code. So, without professional representation, you may be required to:

  • Debate relevant medical Signs and Symptoms with a government doctor.
  • Understand what it means to Meet or Equal a Listing in the Combined Federal Rulings (CFR).
  • Know if your case Grids and why.
  • Know what previous case law and the Medical-Vocational Rules instruct the judge to consider or not consider.
  • Understand what the Standard Vocational Profile (SVP) of your previous work was.
  • Know what your maximum Residual Functional Capacity (RFC) is and how the medically proven limitations of your Activities of Daily Living (ADL) impact such.
  • Refute the Dictionary of Occupational Titles and U.S. Census Report.

The above are among the many issues you will need to address in a disability hearing, which is why professional representation can make all the difference between a Fully Favorable, Partially Favorable or Unfavorable ruling.

Attorney versus Non-Attorney

To the Social Security Administration, the only difference between an attorney and a certified non-attorney disability representative is that as attorneys at law, lawyers are allowed to put Esq. after their names. Non-attorney representatives must possess the same medical and vocational knowledge, must take the same Continuing Education courses, are held to the same professional and ethical standards, and are punished the same way as attorneys if they err before the Administration with malice aforethought. Indeed, the only thing a non-attorney representative cannot do is take a case to federal court after an Appeals Council loss, and that is a rarity anyway. Thus, if having Esq. after his representative’s name gives a disability claimant comfort, then by all means they should retain the services of an attorney. But the CDRP behind Mr. Cooke’s name stands for Certified Disability Representation Professional, with all that title implies. If you are looking for the best essay writers, we invite you to further explore our website and decide for yourself.