Testimonials
Read what our clients say about our work
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Read what our clients say about our work
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LaPorte Law Firm has won thousands of claims and appeals for our clients
Here’s what our clients have to say…
If problems arise when dealing with Social Security Disability, calling LaPorte Law Firm is the best thing you can do. Professional, experienced, confident, and reassuring are a few words I’d use when recommending them.
Mitch Boo
Kevin LaPorte is outstanding! He is the best attorney for Social Security, and I cannot recommend him enough. I had a tough case, but Kevin successfully tackled every problem related to my case. With his professionalism, knowledge, thoroughness, and experience working with the Oakland judges, he won this tough case. I obtained a fully favorable decision with back pay going back three years. Wow!
After interviewing multiple attorneys, I chose Kevin because of his professionalism, expertise, commitment, and his willingness to prepare me as much as I needed until I felt very comfortable and very confident to appear before the judge. No other attorney was willing to put in that extra effort or study my medical records as carefully as Kevin. It’s rare to find an advocate as dedicated to clients as him as well as someone who has experience with the local judges, which is very important, as you don’t want an attorney going in blind. Go ahead and interview a few attorneys; I’m sure you will reach the same conclusion: Kevin is the best.
V.N.
When I was having an extremely difficult time dealing with my disability case, contacting LaPorte Law Firm was the best decision I could have made. Everyone at the firm was extremely kind and helpful in dealing with my situation. Thanks to them, I got what I needed!
Najib Nawab
LaPorte Law Firm was very helpful and successful in helping my wife with her case. They were very professional and were well prepared at the hearing, so the judge had no questions. I would recommend them to everyone.
Michael Johnson
As I watched the judge raise her eyebrow at the mention of Terry LaPorte’s name, she quickly stated, ‘Oh, Terry LaPorte? I recall him being successful in quite a few cases…’ I felt proud to have him available to me and to people like us. The feeling of despair and uneasiness changed instantly. When I met him for the first time, I took note of all his awards and got to see how knowledgeable he is. If you are looking for the top attorney, Terry is my pick.
Christina T.
Legal Top Guns
Filing an SSDI claim was daunting but Terry explained how the process would work and he was absolutely 100% right in how it played out! He handed off my case to his daughter and fellow attorney Kelsey. There was no drop off of support. Kelsey always believed in my case and she ably represented me when it came time to face the administrative law judge. I know for certain that my appeal would not have been successful without the Laportes.
Chris
LaPorte Law Firm handled my disability claim and I could not be more satisfied. I found the team to be extremely responsive, knowledgeable, and compassionate. They walked me through the process and guided me through the complexities of the administrative hearing process so that I was thoroughly prepared and knew exactly what to expect. Although I started my initial disability application on my own without representation, I realize now that the very first thing I should have done was to reach out to LaPorte Law Firm. I am deeply grateful for their assistance.
Ben Steinberg
You will not find a more dedicated disability attorney
I cannot say enough great things about Terry. He has decades of specialized legal knowledge and experience in the area of disability law and it shows. In addition to his level of competence, he is such a genuine person. He regularly demonstrated how much he cares about me. One of the things I particularly appreciated is how responsive he was to my numerous inquiries. He consistently responded to me in a very timely manner, whether it was responding with an email or calling me on the phone. Attorneys often do no show this level of professionalism and so it’s refreshing to work with an attorney who does. I prevailed in my disability claim. It was not a straightforward claim, as it involves an «invisible disability.» Terry was able to present convincing arguments during my disability hearing and I could tell how experienced and confident he is in that environment. After my hearing, he would track the status of my case and keep me updated whenever there was any movement in the process. I could tell by his actions that he was dedicated to fulfilling my interests and would do whatever it took to assure I prevailed.
Jennifer
Terry is the guy to go to for SSDI! He is very thorough, kind, and efficient. He really knows how to get things done! I was approved within months, when it usually takes years.
Christina Loza
Thank you, Mr. LaPorte, for the hard work during the past year that you have been taking care of my case. You and Sylvia are always available when I have questions and have answered my questions in a very professional way.
Mir Farhad
Hopefully, there will only be a few times in your life when you will need an attorney. If you do, Terry LaPorte meets the highest standards. I was in a grueling situation with a disability; if I hadn’t had the good fortune of finding Terry, my life would be a shadow of my former life. I recommend seeing Terry if you have an SSDI problem. He will take you through the process step by step.
Karen W.
Mr. LaPorte and Sylvia have been so helpful to me. After going through a lot in the past three years, it was very good to find someone who really cares about me and is willing to work with me despite my situation. I highly recommend this firm to anyone who is going through this difficult time.
M.G.
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Frequently Asked Questions
SSDI is a disability insurance program financed by your Social Security paycheck deductions. Unless prohibited by your age, you must have worked a total of 10 years (40 quarters), 5 of which must be within the last 10 years (20 of the last 40 quarters). In order to be eligible for SSDI benefits, you must have earned FICA-taxed wages during this work period.
For Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits, no work time is required at all. There are, however, limits to eligibility based on how much property you own or money you have in the bank, as the SSI program is aimed at individuals who lack income or resources and are disabled. Benefits are paid as a flat rate, and the amount may be reduced if you receive any money or assistance from any source.
With both SSI and SSDI, you must be found disabled. The Social Security Administration (SSA) oversees both programs and defines disability as being unable to perform any “substantial gainful activity.”
No, SSDI can be seen as a safety net. It will pay monthly benefits to you based on the amount of money that you have already paid into the system through employment taxes.
If your claim is approved upon the first attempt, the process should take just a few months. However, it should be noted that only approximately one-third of claims are approved on the first filing. As such, most applicants need to go through the appeal process to secure their benefits. If your claim is then approved after an appeal to the Office of Disability Adjudication and Review, delays of a year or more before benefit payment commences are also common.
Attorney’s fees are 25% of the first retroactive payment to you by the SSA; however, the fee is capped at US$7,200 regardless of the amount of money you are owed by the SSA. After November 30, 2024, the maximum attorney’s fees are capped at $9,200. There is no one-off or ongoing fee after you win your case. As the SSA can take several years to adjudicate a disability claim, disability claimants are often entitled to a large check for retroactive benefits for the period in which they were waiting for their claim to be decided. Our fees automatically come out of that first retroactive check, so our clients never have to pay us directly.
If your application is rejected on your first attempt, as is the case for many first-time applicants, you should seek legal counsel as soon as possible. An appeal must be filed using the proper forms within 60 days of the date of the denial decision. Your chances of winning an appeal are greatly enhanced by retaining a firm that specializes in Social Security law.
The monthly amount you will receive depends on factors such as age, past earnings, and type of benefit. The law allows retroactive pay up to 12 months prior to the month of a disability application. To get a better idea of your situation, it is advisable to consult the SSA’s benefit calculator.
How it works:
- Complete the form so we can learn more about your situation.
- We will reach out within 48 hours to schedule your free, no-obligation consultation with an attorney.
- If your case can be pursued, we’ll start working on it.
- We only get paid if your case is approved.
How we can help:
- Free case evaluation by an attorney
- Social Security Disability Insurance application
- Social Security Disability Insurance appeal
- Disability hearing preparation
NO FEES UNLESS YOU WIN.
At LaPorte Law Firm, we only receive a fee if you win your case – so you have nothing to lose. We’re with you every step of the way.
Award-winning service
Equipped with years of experience and thousands of successful cases, LaPorte Law Firm is the leading disability attorney in the Bay Area, and we have the awards and certifications to prove it.
