| Re: Personal advocate vs lawyer
I think either a personal advocate or a disability lawyer would be fine....They know the system and how to deal with things. Just guessing, but the advocate may have a smaller case load and be able to dedicate more time or handle it quicker.
Also, keep in mind that only a very small % of people are approved on the first try....Even very critical people. For example, many, many people have died (from their condition) before being approved. Some insiders say it's all chance, or random. A disability lawyer friend of mine said he's seen people approved for "routine" things on the first try, while serious paralyzed applicants have been denied. Lots of "theories" on the process. The bottom line is that in a general sense, they want people to "fight" for it because in most cases, you're talking about a lifetime worth of benefits, which costs the Gov't big money. However, they have to approve some on the first try to avoid backlash.
Regardless, you need someone with experience who knows how do handle things and keep pushing should you be declined. The further you go in the process (should you be declined and need to appeal) the more critical it is for your assistance to have solid experience. Mine took almost a year and a half and ended up in front of a ADJ judge.
Good luck.
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Re: Personal advocate vs lawyer 
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