AV-rated attorney Geri Kahn has an excellent article on her California Social Security Lawyer Blog entitled It helps to be local.
Geri tells a story of visiting the local Social Security office to resolve a payment issue for a client. A supervisor approved the payment on the spot.
Geri concludes her post with this thought:
I wonder how attorneys at national firms are able to represent claimants effectively. Despite the existence of amazing technology, I have learned that it sometimes takes a personal inquiry to obtain a result.
Well, I could not agree more. Sometimes a visit to the local Social Security office can help to expedite a claim. The ability to stop by the local office (or the hearing office) is part of the home field advantage enjoyed by a local disability attorney.