Social Security and SSI matters handled include initial applications, requests for reconsideration, hearings before administrative law judges, requests for review to the Appeals Council, and appeals to federal district court and the Third Ciruit Court of Appeals.  In addition to appliations for benefits, services may also be available to handle cessation of benefits, disability reviews, and other issues related to entitlement or ongoing entitlement to benefits. 

Services include not only hearing or agency appearances, but extensive interviews with the client, assistance with paperwork at every level, medical and legal research, and usually in-depth investigations directed to medical sources to obtain information and evidence pertinent to disability.  This is often an active process, as no matter what medical conditions a person may have, the connection between those conditions and the inability to work is not always readily apparent.

Applications for Social Security Disability and SSI (Supplemental Security Income), and administrative appeals of these, are usually handled on a contingent fee basis as provided by law, which is 25% of retroactive benefits up to a maximum set by law.  Client is responsible for out-of-pocket expenses (for example, for medical records and reports) regardless of outcome.

Some Social Security Disability and SSI cases do not generate retroactive benefits and therefore must be billed on an hourly basis.  Either way, any attorney fee in every case before the Social Security Administration must be approved by SSA.

Workers' compensation can involve issues of temporary disability, access to medical treatment or the reasonableness of or necessity for medical treatment,  and the nature and extent of permanent disability.  Sometimes the injury is not disputed but there is a question as to whether the employer is responsible or not.

Attorney fees in workers' compensation cases are awarded by the Judge of Workers' Compensation, and are usually paid partly by the injured worker and partly by the employer or its insurance company, with the percentages set by the Judge of Workers' Compensation.  The total percentage cannot exceed 20% of all the benefits awarded.

In unemployment compensation cases, the attorney handles appeals to the Appeal Tribunal, the Board of Review and the Superior Court of New Jersey, Appellate Division.  Fees in unemployment compensation cases are billed by the hour and payable by the client.  At the administrative level, the amount of the fee is subject to the approval of the Board of Review, even in cases which only go to the Appeals Tribunal level.

I, Erica J. Mandell, am the only attorney in this office.  I am the person responsible for all the cases here.  Any work done by support staff is performed under my direct, personal supervision.  Any consultation with experts is done in strict confidence. 

There may be other firms where you may meet with one person at first, only to find that whenever you call the office after the first visit, you speak only to support staff and never speak to the attorney.  There may be other firms where you never even meet your attorney until the day of the hearing.  These things do not happen in my office.  Support staff do handle routine matters, but I remain readily available to communicate with all my clients.