“Should I accept the free SSDI attorney my insurance company provides?”
Choosing a representative is the first or second most important choice you can make in your disability claim (along with choosing your doctor). You must choose an attorney with whom you are comfortable, and with whom you can speak to address any concerns.
What the insurer often fails to tell claimants is that they will normally pay the fee of any SSDI attorney, not simply the attorneys they suggest. Why don’t they tell claimants that they can choose whichever attorney they wish? They don’t because the attorneys they recommend give the insurance company a heavy discount, often limiting their fees to 1/2 or 1/3 of what non-affiliated attorneys charge. Unfortunately, this reduced fee often results in a reduced quality of service, with much of the case management and even hearings conducted by non-attorneys.
You should be very careful when choosing your representation in an SSDI claim.