By Ralph E. Moore Jr.
Special to the AFRO

Anyone who’s ever applied for full disability benefits knows it can be difficult to be successful without a lot of help. The application process and paperwork required by Social Security Administration can give thoughts of possibly giving up. It’s easy to see that help is required if the goal is to be met. 

Chances of receiving the appropriated amount of government assistance in a timely way are greatly enhanced with the help of a lawyer.

One such compassionate, experienced and knowledgeable attorney is Aaron Moss, founder of The Moss Disability Group, LLC. Moss became interested began to appreciate the importance of helping others with quality legal representation when his mother experienced reduced physical capacity because of a doctor’s error. After college, he got a law degree at the University of Maryland School of Law and began his career in disability work.  While employed at the Social Security Administration as an attorney advisor, he wrote over 650 decisions on claims for Disability Administrative Law Judges from claimants across the nation. Later he became more familiar with the process while at the Appeals Council reviewing decisions and proposing suggestions to Appeals Officers and Administrative Appeals Judges.

And so, because Moss believes benefit seeking disabled persons deserve “access to quality legal representation,” he started a firm for those seeking help from the Social Security Administration.

A good disability attorney can be useful to someone submitting a claim for SSI or SSDI because the paperwork is challenging; and, if rejected initially, can include an involved appeal process.

Moss works disability cases on a contingency basis, so nothing is owed until and unless claims are approved.

When applying for SSI or SSDI, the application calls for providing lots of documentation. “Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI)” according to their website, “is a federally run benefits program that provides aid to people who are unable to achieve gainful employment due to a permanent disabling condition.” The Supplemental Security Income Program (SSI) “is a need-based government program that provides financial assistance to elderly, disabled and blind citizens who have limited incomes or few financial assets”.

Most people do not know the difference between these two  programs but Moss does. He says around 65% of the persons who apply for disability are turned down at the first attempt. When applicants ask for review and reconsideration (a second look) they are turned down about 90% of the time. And in a hearing before the Disability Administrative Law Judge, around 55-63% of applications are approved in the Baltimore Hearing Office.  Clearly, working with a lawyer can make a big difference. But why this particular attorney “Because an applicant would be working with an understanding and compassionate attorney, not a case manager. I’ve had the experience of seeing hundreds and hundreds of cases.”

The Disability Office of Aaron Moss is located at 10451 Mill Run Circle, Suite 400 in Owings Mills. His phone number is (877) 771-0294. The website is mossdisability.com.

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