Some people ask me, “Do I need a lawyer for a Social Security case?”  And, I say, “It depends.”  And, it depends upon where you are in the system.  If you haven’t filed yet, I would say, “No.  You can file on your own, it’s an administrative paperwork process that can be done quite easily at your local office, or even online.”  But, if you’ve been denied one time, it’s probably time to look at someone to help you.  The first denial usually is three to four months after the application, and the second level is called reconsideration.  At that point, we’d like to get involved to help you make your case a more viable case.  And, certainly before a hearing occurs, we’d like to be involved in that as well.  Because, a judge, once a judge gets your case and sets the record, it’s what they call res judicata, which is fancy legal term, meaning the case is set.  After a hearing is set and concluded, it’s more difficult to help your case.  Because, the Appeals Council and the subsequent reviewers really don’t reinvestigate your claim.  They take what the judge has found, and they basically rule on that.  So, it’s important to get a lawyer involved before hearing stage certainly.  And, afterwards, on a case-by-case basis, we may be able to assist you with purely legal arguments.  But, it’s much better to get involved before the hearing.