It is absolutely true that there are advocacy services, as well, that don't charge a fee. I should have restated that above. I did mention it in an earlier post to this thread (see paragraph 3 of post # 69, above.) Here is what I posted:

"There are some alternatives to using a law firm. A lot of communities have a non-profit agency that helps promote the welfare of people with disabilities. Many of these agencies will also help you apply. I went to one. (I neglected to emphasize that the help at this advocacy agency would have been for free. I lost confidence in them, but that is strictly my own personal feeling.)

For some folk, an advocacy service might even work better than a lawyer. That's because they get to know you face-to-face in a way that some of the big law firms don't. (All my dealings with the law firm were through telephone and mail.) They might give more personalized service and some counseling about what to expect. How many groups are out there providing this service varies from place to place, and their policies vary. The one near me goes by the name Independent Living Resource Center. Throughout the country, their are similar organizations with similar sounding names. (Some are named "Resources for Independent Living.") I'm glad I went to them because it was they who first gave me the idea to even think about applying and evaluated me as someone who would be successful with a claim. They were very nice people, but I did want help from the get-go, which they would not provide, only if and when my first attempt on my own failed.

Some mental health centers may provide assistance with the process. I friend of mine got all the help he needed through the mental health center where he was being treated.

Certainly, many folk have used advocacy agencies and saved themselves thousands of dollars. There are pros and cons to using them, but it is an option that anyone doing this should explore.

If you start with an advocacy group, and then - down the road - you find you are facing hearings and feel you need a lawyer, you may have great difficulty finding one. Lawyers do not want to finish a claim started by another entity. That is because it means they can only bill you for the extent to which their services went above and beyond what the advocacy agency did. That's very hard, if not impossible, to figure out in dollars and cents. Many lawyers won't touch you if you once you become involved with an advocacy group.

The advocacy group in my community had a person who had a degree in law (he had a J.D. degree, doctor of jurisprudence degree), though he had never been admitted to the bar. I believe he would go to hearings with clients. Was he as good as a licensed lawyer? Personally, I wouldn't want to bet my disability claim on it. But that's just me.

Some claims are more easily determined than others. If you've got very enthusiastic support from doctors, then you may be more likely to have a claim that will sail through, no matter who helps you. Makes sense to do it the cheapest way possible. A lot of claims are very arguable, and then it all comes down to having someone who is maximum-skilled at making an argument.

I think readers of this thread can benefit from the robust discussion above. You can compare two points of view. I think we've each made a good case for why we did it the way that we did. We were both successful in our claims. You can also read more input on line from others. There is a wealth of stuff on-line about this.

I'm sure there are claimants for whom getting help from an advocacy group is the best way to go. Sorry, if I seemed to be ruling that out.