Compassionate Allowances are sure-fire victories for Social Security applicants and attorneys alike, and yet some firms are not willing to take these cases due to the fact that there may not be a back pay windfall. If your firm isn’t taking Compassionate Allowance claimants, you could be missing out on the easiest settlements possible. Here are some of the reasons why Compassionate Allowances are still highly profitable:

1. Back Pay Could be Awarded to Family Members

While people applying for Compassionate Allowances are often approved quicker than other claimants, they may be entitled to more auxiliary benefits than other applicants. People with advanced cancers, one of the most commonly diagnosed Compassionate Allowances for adults, often have a spouse or minor children.

For example, a single applicant who was approved for SSDI benefits in 6 months would be entitled to one month of back pay. If he is entitled to $2,000 per month, your firm would receive just $500, but if he were to have an eligible wife and two minor children, your legal fee would nearly double to $900. While the payment is still lower than the national average attorney fee, it’s not a bad pay day for a claim that takes little-to-no work on your end.

2. You Have a Chance for Retroactive Payments

Many people applying for disability benefits with a Compassionate Allowance will not wait over five months to be approved, so there’s not a big chance for back pay for attorneys. What you could receive, however, are retroactive payments.

For example, if someone with metastatic lung cancer went through two years of treatment before applying for Social Security disability benefits, he would be entitled to 12 months of retroactive payments, even if his claim was approved in two weeks. As the average SSDI payment is $1,200, this would mean your firm could earn $3,600 for simply helping someone submit an initial application.

3. SSI Cases Are Almost Guaranteed Back Pay

Unlike SSDI claims, SSI recipients only need to wait one month before back pay entitlement begins. Many Compassionate Allowances affect infants and children, who would apply for SSI benefits. While these claims do not usually have settlements that are as high as SSDI claims, your firm will not need to wait nearly as long to receive a settlement from the SSA.

4. Smaller Cases Make Your Firm Profitable

It’s unlikely that you’ll hit a maximum payment of $6,000 from a claimant who has a Compassionate Allowance, but it’s still important to take smaller cases like these to ensure that your firm remains profitable. Supplementing your windfalls with smaller settlements in the meanwhile helps ensure that you have a consistent cash flow and you’re stretching your marketing dollar as far as possible. It’s unreasonable to wait for the perfect claimant to walk through your firm’s door, and if you do so, you’ll miss out on thousands of dollars in awarded payments every year.

Supplement Your Caseload Today

While we do have a variety of screening options for our Social Security disability clients, we do not offer screening by condition. We highly recommend that your firm calls every lead received to personally speak with the lead to truly determine if the claim is viable or not. To discuss our Social Security disability lead pricing and availability in your area, give us a call today at 617.800.0089.