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300 E. Main St., Johnson CityMon–Fri 8:30am–5pm(423) 555-0148
Keplinger Law Office
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How it works

From your first call to a decision

Disability claims are slow. Here's what each stretch of the wait looks like, and what I'm doing in it.

  1. 01

    Step 1: A first call, at no charge

    About twenty minutes. I'll ask where your claim stands, what you've been told and what your days are like. You'll know by the end whether I can help.

  2. 02

    Step 2: A fee agreement you can read

    One page that says the fee comes out of back pay and only if you win. We both sign it, and I send it to Social Security or the VA.

  3. 03

    Step 3: Records and a timeline

    I gather your medical and service records and turn them into a timeline a reviewer can follow. You'll get a copy.

  4. 04

    Step 4: The filing or the appeal

    I file what's next and track every deadline. When a letter arrives, I call you and explain it.

  5. 05

    Step 5: The hearing or the review

    We prepare together the week before. I sit beside you at a hearing, or argue your file in writing for a review.

  6. 06

    Step 6: The decision, and after

    If benefits are awarded, I check the back pay against the dates. If not, we talk about the next step that same week.

What people ask while they wait

How long does all this take?

Months, and sometimes more than a year, mostly waiting on Social Security or the VA. I can't speed their queue, but I can make sure nothing we control holds it up.

Will I hear from you while I wait?

Yes. You'll hear from me whenever something arrives or is due, and you can call any weekday. If you see a letter you don't understand, read it to me.

What do I need to keep?

Every letter from Social Security or the VA, with its envelope, and a list of your doctors and the medicines you take. A notebook of bad days helps too.

Start with a twenty-minute call

There's no charge for it, and you don't need any paperwork in hand.

Call (423) 555-0148Or write to me

No fee unless you're awarded past-due benefits. On a Social Security claim the fee is a share of back pay, capped and approved by Social Security; on a VA claim it's set in a written agreement filed with the VA. You may still owe small costs, such as fees some doctors charge to copy records, and I'll tell you before any come up.