What Are My Chances of Winning Disability with a Lawyer

It's Hard Winning Social Security Disability on Your Own

Most people get denied the first time that they apply for Social Security Disability. It’s practically a part of this process.

Only about one-third of Indiana and Michigan disability claims get approved initially.

Getting denied when you apply for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is demoralizing, but it’s not the end of the road.

Your odds of winning disability increase during the appeals process, but your chances of winning benefits can get even better if you work with a disability lawyer when you ask Social Security to reconsider your application.

Appealing isn’t just about filling out forms and doing paperwork, although there’s plenty of that.

This is a special legal process, and having a disability attorney on your side can make a difference.

Disability benefits are life-changing, so don’t leave your disability claim to chance if you’ve already been denied once.

The Morgan Law Firm in South Bend can support you at every stage of your appeal. Indiana disability lawyer Anne Morgan and our team will never treat you like you’re just a case number.

Let’s take a closer look at this process, why it can be so hard to get benefits, and what a South Bend disability attorney can do to help.

Social Security Disability Is All We Do.

Why It’s Hard to Get Approved for Social Security Disability

The Social Security Administration (SSA) has high standards for awarding disability benefits.

It’s not just about showing that you have a significant medical condition. You have to show that:

You can’t keep working because of your health problems.
Due to your age, skills, or other factors, you can’t just change jobs.
Your health problems will prevent you from working for a year or more.

The government wants to make sure no one cheats the system, getting benefits they don’t deserve, but this process creates a lot of roadblocks for people who feel like they should obviously qualify for disability.

These recent figures from Social Security give you an idea about the uphill battle you’re facing:

Month	State	% SSDI Claims Approved	% SSI Claims Approved
January 2026	Michigan	37.6%	37.2%
January 2026	Indiana	35.6%	35.9%
February 2026	Michigan	41.3%	39.1%
February 2026	Indiana	41.1%	38.4%

You can see how tough it is for Michiana residents to get approved for benefits they need when health problems stop them from working.

The initial application is just the first step in this process. If you get denied SSDI or SSI benefits, you need to appeal.

Our Indiana disability lawyer focuses on disability benefits appeals. We’ll do everything we can to support your appeal and make a more persuasive case for the SSA.

Start with a FREE disability claim evaluation

What You Need to Know About Social Security Appeals

There are four stages to the disability benefit appeals process, and the chances of winning disability benefits is different at each stage.

You may not have to go through all of them, but they proceed in this order:

Reconsideration

The first step is asking Social Security to review your denied disability claim. Another examiner looks at your application. But the odds of winning at this stage are slim. Success rates hover in the low double digits, somewhere between 10 and 20%.

Disability hearing

Your hearing in front of an administrative law judge (ALJ) is often your best chance to win Social Security Disability benefits.

Your odds of winning benefits after your hearing can depend on where you are in the country and which judge you get. According to SSA data, your chances of winning could rise to around 50% or even higher at this stage.

Your odds of success can also increase by nearly three times when you have representation like a disability attorney with you at your hearing. This is according to the government’s own numbers.

It’s one of the major ways a lawyer can help you improve your chances of winning disability benefits.

Appeals Council

If your hearing doesn’t go your way, you can ask the Social Security Appeals Council to review the judge’s decision. It could be reversed, or you could be sent back for another hearing.

Filing a lawsuit

If all else fails, the last step is filing a lawsuit in federal court. Unfortunately, the odds of success aren’t high at this stage or the Appeals Council.

We know that this process can seem intimidating, but you don’t have to fight through it on your own after a denied disability application.

Let our Michiana disability lawyers help you at each stage of your appeal. No matter how long it takes, you won’t pay an attorney fee until you win benefits.

How Can a South Bend Disability Lawyer Help Me Win Benefits?

Winning disability benefits is always going to be hard, but Anne Morgan and our team will do everything we can to increase your chances of getting your SSDI or SSI claim approved.

A South Bend disability attorney can:

Identify issues with your original application for benefits
Update your claim with new medical records and other evidence
Help you fill out appeals forms
Keep you updated on the status of your appeal
Warn you about important deadlines
Prepare you for your disability hearing
Tell you what kinds of questions to expect at your hearing
Represent you in front of an administrative law judge
Cross-examine vocational and medical experts who might testify about you
File your appeal with the Appeals Council or Federal District Court, if needed

We know that applying for Social Security Disability is a personal process, so go to a local Michiana disability lawyer who will treat your claim with the personal attention it deserves.

The odds are always against you when you apply for disability, but The Morgan Law Firm will do everything we can to increase your chances of success.

Having a disability lawyer means two important things: You can get a better chance at your disability hearing, as we discussed, plus you can avoid mistakes that could sink your claim throughout the process.

We’ve helped many people in South Bend, Elkhart, Mishawaka, Niles, and all over Michigan and Indiana when they needed help with their disability claims.

Now let us help you increase your chances of winning disability.

What Are My Chances of Winning Disability with a Lawyer in South Bend?

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It's Hard Winning Social Security Disability on Your Own

What You Need to Know About Social Security Appeals

How Can a South Bend Disability Lawyer Help Me Win Benefits?