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Bill Going Before Senate May Significantly Alter the Rights of the Disabled

Action is needed in order to protect your legal rights to an attorney in the event your claim for Social Security disability goes to court. When you can't afford legal representation, the Equal Access to Justice Act (EAJA) is available to help provide attorney's fees and other expenses necessary for litigation.

The Lummis Amendment No. 195-as part of Continuing Resolution HR 1-was recently passed in the House of Representatives and will soon go before the Senate for a vote. If the Lummis Amendment passes as worded, it would prohibit the use of EAJA funds and significantly alter the rights of the disabled in Florida and across the nation to have access to an attorney.

On Feb. 17, the 112^th Congress held its first session and at 6:35 p.m. the recorded House vote on agreement to the Lummis Amendment was 232-197 (Roll no.85).

If this law passes, it will eliminate the average citizen's ability to appeal lower court decisions if the claimant is unable to afford an attorney on their own.

The higher up in the courts an individual goes, the more expensive attorney's fees become. Therefore, few cases will come into the appeals court and even fewer to the federal court. This will likely have a serious impact on the checks and balances previously put into place to ensure that the average citizen is given equal footing to those who have more means.

Passage of this law can have detrimental effects on many disabled individual's ability to receive Social Security disability benefits. This requires immediate action. Concerned citizens should immediately contact their U. S. Senator and voice their opinion.

Filing for Social Security disability benefits is complicated and time-consuming, but at LaVan & Neidenberg, P.A., our team of disability attorneys is ready for the challenge. We like to empower our clients by providing a FREE Social Security disability guide so you can learn more about the process of filing for disability benefits. When you're ready to get started, contact The Law Offices of LaVan & Neidenberg, P.A. to begin your claim. Our state-of-the-art, customized intake and database system means less hassle, so you can focus on what's most important to you instead of having to spend your days wading through confusing legalese and legal red tape. Call today - 1-888-234-5758.