Experienced Columbia Lawyers To Help You Obtain Disability Benefits

At Harlan Still & Koch, we are dedicated to helping disabled people get the benefits they need from Social Security. This has been our focus since 1978. Whether your condition was the result of an accident, a workplace injury or serious illness, we provide the knowledge and supportive guidance you can trust.

Helping You Obtain Social Security Benefits

The Social Security Disability system was designed to help people who have disabilities that impact their ability to work or seek employment for at least 12 months. Unfortunately, many people find the process of obtaining benefits complicated, confusing and ultimately, discouraging.

Our lawyers understand the system, and we will personally guide you through the process to obtain the benefits you need.

We provide comprehensive assistance at any stage of the process, including:

• Initial applications: Filing for disability is a complicated process. We have helped numerous clients through the detailed paperwork to obtain their benefits. Even though it is easier to qualify for benefits after the age of 50, we can help you get your benefits at any age.
• Appeals: It is common for the Social Security Administration (SSA) to deny your initial application. We will guide you through the appeals process and your hearing.

Assisting Those Who Have Been Disabled

We are dedicated advocates, and our services go beyond the five-step process. We can provide referrals to low-cost medical treatment for any condition that keeps you out of work, such as:

• Physical injuries: Many physical conditions can impair your ability to work, including severe head trauma, neck or back injuries.
• Mental illnesses: PTSD, OCD, depression as well as learning disabilities have the potential to impact your ability to work.
• Other illnesses: Illnesses such as cancer, asthma and arthritis often provide limitations at work, or keep people out of work because of medical treatment.

If you are worried you may not qualify for SSD or SSI benefits, there is no need to fear. At Harlan Still & Koch, we exhaustively explore every option available to you. We strive to find you the best support possible.

How The Columbia Disability Hearing Process Works

Not all Social Security disability cases follow the same path. Initial applications are handled at local Social Security field offices, but when a claim is denied and moves to the appeals stage, it is routed to a separate hearing office where an administrative law judge (ALJ) reviews the case. 

For claimants in Central Missouri, that office is the Columbia Office of Hearing Operations (OHO), located at 3402 Buttonwood Drive. Our attorneys regularly represent clients from Boone, Cole, Callaway, Audrain, Cooper and Randolph counties at this office and understand how the appeals process unfolds at the local level.

How We Build Your Case For The Columbia OHO

Winning at the hearing level requires more than showing up. Our attorneys take a thorough, hands-on approach to building each case, which includes:

• Prehearing briefs: We draft detailed briefs tailored to the specific ALJs presiding at the Columbia OHO, framing your medical evidence directly against the Social Security Administration’s Listing of Impairments.
• RFC forms: We work closely with your treating physicians to complete Residual Functional Capacity Forms, which carry significant weight with local judges when completed thoroughly and accurately.
• Medical records retrieval: We know how to gather and interpret records from regional networks including University of Missouri Health Care, Boone Health and SSM Health St. Mary’s Hospital in Jefferson City.

We make sure your records are complete, clearly organized and presented in a way that tells your story effectively before the ALJ.

Face-To-Face Preparation And In-Person Hearing Representation

Because our office is located in Downtown Columbia on Cherry Street, we meet with clients in person before their hearing date. During those sessions, we:

• Walk you through what to expect at your ALJ hearing
• Help you practice describing how your condition affects your daily life
• Make sure you feel confident and fully prepared before you step into the hearing room

When hearing day arrives, our attorneys appear in person rather than by video whenever possible. We believe that being physically present gives us the best opportunity to demonstrate to the ALJ exactly how your disability is affecting your ability to live and work. That kind of direct, personal advocacy is something we have built our practice around since 1978.

Get The Support You Need

We handle all of our cases by contingency, meaning that you owe us nothing unless or until we are successful in recovering benefits for you. Contact our Columbia attorneys at 1-800-483-1789 or send us an email to schedule a free initial consultation.