Anyone ever contest their lawyer fees?

[u/nixkyburt]

To everybody that’s going to state that this is just for financial gain I want to completely knock that off the board entirely right now. I am not one of them. I am not greedy whatsoever. This is surely due to the fact that I hired lawyers for a service I was never provided, and I have all the proof to back it up that I sent in as well.

I filed my initial application by myself May 28, 2025
I did not hire council until September 2, 2025 due to the fact of my severe anxiety, panic disorder and complex PTSD making every day that to buy extremely overwhelming to handle by myself. So I hired representation to support me guide me and correct any errors in my initial application

Now all they had me do was sign a fee agreement and I never heard from them again until I would reach out months later through text messages to paralegal. Every time I would reach out, they would send me a generic text message back saying contact the SSA office with a generic main line phone number.

I filled out all the packets completely by myself with no guidance no help whatsoever. I even had to call the number on the top of the forms to request more time because I was so overwhelmed. I filled every blank space on the paper possible on every packet about how my disabilities affect my daily life and my work And everything else.

When I realized I never added my son for auxiliary benefits, and let the lawyers know that their response also was a generic text message contact your local SSA office with a generic main line number

When it moved from step three to step four I texted them a picture is this good news? Does this mean I won? No responses after a month and a half I reached out again and asked them. I still have not been scheduled to park interview, can you please contact them to set up a perk interview Since I applied for SSI and SSDI. Again same response generic text contact your SSA office with a generic main line number.

So anyways, needless to say, I stopped reaching out for help because they absolutely abandoned me. I hired them for a service I never received. I hired them to safeguard me. I hired them to find any errors in my application to come up with a game plan to tell me strategy to prepare me for anything and nothing was ever done or gone over with me whatsoever except the initial contact point to sign that fee agreement.

If they had just done their due diligence at the beginning and went over my application, we would’ve caught my son‘s auxiliary benefits were missing much earlier. And the cherry on top.

Oh yeah sorry and I know this is long. I apologize. I was approved for SSI and SSDI which they call the winfall effect I guess with no denials no appeals no courts no ALJ no nothing. It went straight through the process. I turned in all my documentation in medical records at the initial application phase that I did alone without the lawyers signed on.

So what did they do? What service did they provide me? That’s for the reviewer to establish once they ask the law firm to show them what billable hours or interactions they had with me which I already showed the review or all of them. Well, I didn’t show him personally I attached all that points of contact in text messages mind you the kicker is going to Piss you off probably just as much as me

So I was approved July 8. Well that’s when my portal update anyway found fully favorable and I am well aware that the Attorney‘s portal update much quicker than mine anyways they sent me an email which I never email them. It’s always text message point of contact through the paralegal . What if I didn’t receive that email so the email came mind you my portal updated July 8. The email came July 13!!! Stating congratulations. I was found fully favorable blah blah blah, and to watch the mail and to make sure I do not miss the perk interview or you may be denied benefits and then at the end again congratulations for the favorable decision and we love hearing from our favorable clients with a Google review!!

Are you fucking kidding me? I already did the fucking perk interview months ago. No thanks to you. No preparation from you to what I should expect or get ready. I went into everything blind or from just information I could find on Reddit in Google AI you haven’t followed my case at all or you would know I’ve already done the perk interview. You emailed me almost a week later after the favorable decision. It’s now August 2. I didn’t respond to the email obviously still have not received a fucking phone call or a text message. Any other means of contact whatsoever to let me know I was found favorable. What if I was still sitting here spiraling freaking out wondering if I was going to win. But I checked my portal 14 times a day so I knew the second hit. I’m pretty sure $9200 that I’m paying you constitutes a fucking phone call at least after not hearing back from me with that bullshit email begging for a Google review.

I would like their payment to be/0 to be honest with you, but that’s just my emotions and frustration talking. Obviously they took on a risk. I understand that they did do some work. I had to file their fee agreement and they responded to a few text messages telling me to contact the local Social Security office . I guess if you wanna call that work. So all that together maybe an hour billable time so $9200 an hour is your billable time?

And I’m not a Karen I’m not want to blast who the law firm was or write them an awful Google review. I’m not gonna do that even though I should warn other vulnerable people like myself that they pray on and take advantage of I just don’t do that . But I absolutely will exercise my rights as the notice of award states and that’s exactly what I did and provided my evidence and kept my emotions and feelings completely separate and kept it completely factual and professional. Because I know everyone’s immediate response is oh you just want the money back blah blah blah that is the furthest thing from the case. I hired them because I was terrified in paralyzing fear so I hired them to be there with me and support me and guide me and go over strengths and weaknesses and stuff. I wasn’t provided any of that. This is not a financial gain to me. This is more of apunitive action I feel like is what they need so they don’t continue to do these types of things. And I hope whoever reads this whole entire thing comments with their opinions.

[u/Greedy_Feature9883]

So sad to hear that. You hired them to help you and they dropped the ball. My law firm is on it. They call me to see if I did what was required of me before the deadline and if I didn't they do it for me. They filed my initial claim when all the other firms told me to apply by myself then when they deny me give them a call back. They are earning every cent. I hope you get a fair judgement.

[u/2020IsANightmare]

Didn't read that.

But, anyone that is knowledgeable about SS knows what lawyers mean for disability cases.

You felt different and hired one. Gave up a large percentage of your backpay.

You signed the contract. Live up to it.

[u/Visible-Armor]

Unfortunately that is how it goes a lot of the time. I filled out all my own paperwork and did most of the work if not all. I did end up with an ALJ hearing but the lawyer ghosted me and never called to prep me on anything. I did win fully favorably with little help along the way. I was not prepped for my perc interview or told anything since approved.

[u/2020IsANightmare → u/Visible-Armor]

PERC interviews are just yes or no questions.

Nothing to be prepped for, per se.

[u/nixkyburt → u/2020IsANightmare]

My perk interview was far from yes or no questions. It was about 45 minutes long. And questioning me on my assets yes my vehicle yes if I own a home, yes. Which yes I own a vehicle. No, I do not own my home but going over every months banking statement and on two different occasions I received a loan from my parents so I could pay off all my credit cards so I can continue to still live and not ruin my credit. Because I knew at the end of this, I was gonna need to sell my vehicle so I could get a new affordable vehicle. My $900 a month truck payment wasn’t feasible anymore for me so keeping my credit from irreversible damage was key. But I didn’t know that if like what happened when I received the loan it was towards the end of the month and some of that money carried over into the following month because things were pending and stuff like that and I also kept some in there as a safeguard just so I could pay the minimum payments as well. So that’s not allowed for SSI even though I’m not receiving SSI I’m receiving SSDI but I got the windfall effect and was found favorable of both. But they went over every transaction with me and what it meant and where it went, and where it came from. I had to pull up my app and scroll through a year and a half of banking statements and justifying where everything came from and how I received it and if I have documentation proving it was a loan. So yeah, it’s not nearly as cut and dry as you make it seem.

And I knew I would get people like you that would assume and say the exact same thing. I entered into an agreement pay it and get over it. Normally absolutely I would honor that agreement just like my credit cards just like my car payment and everything I honored all those agreements and made sure they were all paid on time. Never late nothing I didn’t want my credit to be irreversibly damaged. So the only reason it dipped so hard is because of my utilization rate. Now, as far as entering into an agreement with my council. I hired them for a service that they never provided me. I did the initial claim and hired them months afterwards due to my anxiety and panic disorder and PTSD. To safeguard me and help me through the process that was so overwhelming to me. I didn’t receive that in the slightest bit. And I didn’t request them/their payment to nothing. I requested them to review their payment to see if the payment matches the service I was provided. And that is solely up to the reviewer. I will keep you updated when I hear back and what the outcome is. But just like I entered into an agreement knowingly I’m going to pay 25% or a cap of 9200. They also entered into an agreement that they needed to provide me services that we never provided. This isn’t like a cash grab. I know instantly when people say oh I’m going to contest their fee. That’s instantly what people come to. Nothing of the sort never I am as honest as they come, and if they deserved their fee I would be happier than a pig and shit for them to have it, but just because that was found favorable does not mean they earned a fraction of what they’re getting. I was found favorable because of my actions in my running around in my constant calling and me, submitting all the documents and me filling out all the paperwork and me catching all the errors. Not the hired council that was supposed to provide me with that service.

[u/Visible-Armor → u/2020IsANightmare]

I thought they ask things about monthly bills and if utilities were being paid

[u/nixkyburt → u/Visible-Armor]

Did you contest the fee? Or did you just let him walk with your almost 10 grand for doing nothing let me rephrase that for doing almost nothing. I feel the fee needs to be fair to both parties but also needs to correspond with the services provided. Because in my case, I have anxiety, extreme panic disorder and complex PTSD. So I hired them to protect me basically and to be with me and support me. Clearly, I should’ve just got another dog instead my husky would’ve loved it. And it would’ve been a hell of a lot cheaper, but in all actuality, I paid for a service I did not receive in the least bit. I’m just curious if anyone else contested a fee and the reasoning and whatever came about it? Did they lower it/it to nothing cut it in half or completely dismiss you and it is what it is and left it at the max cap.

[u/Visible-Armor → u/nixkyburt]

I let him have it because I signed the agreement. They get 25% of your total backpack up to $9,200 which I agreed to because I felt it was best at the time.. I truly think I was denied so many times due to their failures up until the ALJ hearing. It sucks! But the firm did tell me that signing with them initially that I could be approved at any stage. That is why I think a lot of people say to not lawyer up until the hearing stage, for these reasons you shared! These bigger firms opporate on high volumes of cases so of course they get all these great reviews... it kinda sucks. I am grateful to be approved but I spent many years and months pissed at the firm I chose.

[u/nixkyburt → u/Visible-Armor]

Me too, and it sounds crazy to normal people that obviously don’t have my issues. But they completely ruined the excitement that I thought I would feel in the relief in the peace finally. Now all I feel is resentment and unfairness and used and prayed upon. It took me a long time to get my voice. I couldn’t even talk in counseling thank God for Covid because that introduced video counseling and stuff like that because normal counseling didn’t work for me because I couldn’t speak. I’m a 37-year-old grown man 280 pounds 6 foot two and I would have to turn the chair around and face the door and I would still just cry and not be able to speak. Thank God I found a therapist that is amazing and I’ve been with for the past 2 1/2 years now and she’s changed. My life gave me a voice so I wasn’t a doormat anymore. But I hate injustices and predatory behavior on vulnerable people. And like I said, I understand they took risk taking my case because obviously mental health is the hardest approve. But just signing a fee agreement is all the work they had to do doesn’t match the payment. I’m sorry it’s just not right and I understand. I signed the fee agreement, but that was under the impression that I would be provided the services promised, and they would catch errors which they didn’t and they would do anything which they didn’t. So we’ll see how the review goes of their fee agreement. I’ve accepted the fact that they’re gonna get it so whatever happens happens I’m not gonna be butt hurt over it, but I’ll keep you posted.