SSDI applications fell in 2016, which also means fewer claimants sought help from disability lawyers, according to SSA representation stats. The number of SSD cases paying legal fees to disability lawyers fell from 33,137 in 2015 to 30,109 in 2016. But last year, that number rose to 31,843 winning SSD cases every month, on average.
And thanks to a 2% COLA increase this year, legal fees for disability lawyers are higher now than ever before. In May 2018, the average legal fee paid for each winning case was $3,270. Compare that to 2016’s average $3,027.06 fee, and it’s easy to see why disability lawyers are looking for new caseload opportunities. We’ll explain which claimants are most likely to win their SSD cases — and how disability lawyers can acquire those leads.
Older SSD Claimants Present a Major Growth Opportunity for Disability Lawyers
The demographic group most likely to qualify for SSDI — disabled individuals aged 50-64 — more than doubled from 1980-2016. And the older U.S. population’s expected to grow even faster between now and 2050. In fact, nearly every state experienced either an increase or had the same median age between 2016 and 2017. And between 2000 and 2016, 95.2% of all U.S. counties experienced median age increases.
According to the SSA’s 2016 Annual Report, the average SSD beneficiary that year was 54 years old. Nearly 70% of men and women on monthly disability benefits today are 50-64 years old. These numbers show there’s a tsunami of potential SSD clients for disability lawyers coming in the next decade or so, and SSD law presents a major opportunity for younger attorneys as well as solo practitioners. The challenge now is finding the best-qualified SSD leads for your firm — but it’s easy once you partner with LeadingResponse.
Get Pre-Qualified SSD Leads Delivered Directly to Your Firm
Most SSD applicants don’t realize how much time and money they’ll save with professional representation. However, at LeadingResponse, we provide current, timely and engaging DisabilityApprovalGuide.com branded content to help educate potential claimants about these benefits. This ensures that prospects understand the benefits of securing representation and can sign up for free legal consultations immediately online.
LeadingResponse delivers over one million pre-screened leads annually to firms that partner with us. And since older prospects are more likely to convert into signed cases, all SSD leads are aged 49+ upon delivery. In addition, internal client data shows that LeadingResponse’s SSD leads over 49 convert 22.5% higher than those from competing providers. With LeadingResponse, you’ll never have to sacrifice lead quality in order to secure the monthly volume your firm needs.
We believe disability lawyers should spend time working SSD cases, not screening unqualified leads generated through TV and radio spots. LeadingResponse screens each SSD lead to meet your firm’s superior quality standards before real-time delivery. That’s why more than 500 firms today trust LeadingResponse to keep their monthly pipelines filled with highly qualified prospects. Imagine never worrying about where to find your next client — that’s exactly what to expect when you partner with us. Once you do, you’ll get a dedicated account manager and consultant offering increasingly tailored advice to help convert more leads and grow revenue.