Napa CA Disability Lawyers

Linden & Cottrell Law Office specializes in Social Security Disability law matters and Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) disability claims. Your job is to take care of yourself and your health. Ours is to deal with Social Security or your private Long Term Disability benefits insurer. We successfully represent applicants for disability claims every day and are here to help you get the benefits you deserve.

Leave the stress of dealing with Social Security or your private long term disability benefits insurer to us. Let our expert team of LTD lawyers represent you, whether it’s preparing all the paperwork necessary to file your application or starting an appeal.

Call Us Today at 707-252-7007 for a FREE Consultation

We Offer Peace of Mind with Your SSI or Disability Case

We understand how difficult it can be to navigate the Social Security system, especially if you’re also focusing on healing from an injury or other traumatic event. You are not alone. At Linden & CottrellLaw, we offer you more than 40 years of experience with Social Security claims and private disability appeals. You deserve to have an expert team of Long Term Disability lawyers on your side.

The social security disability attorneys at Linden & Cottrell Law are well-versed in the laws concerning Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), Social Security Insurance (SSI), and Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) disability claims. When we serve as your representative, you can devote your energy to taking care of yourself. We will handle your claim personally and with compassion. Our professional legal team will advocate for you throughout the process of developing the strongest possible case to present to the Social Security Administration (SSA). We have the knowledge, expertise, and experience necessary to increase your chance of getting benefits. Your job is to take care of yourself and your health. Leave the stress of dealing with Social Security or your private long term disability benefits insurer to us.

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applying?Been denied?
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Attorney David Linden in Napa, CA

David J. Linden is recognized by the State Bar of California as a Social Security Disability Law Specialist. He served as president of the Napa County Bar Association in 2007, and was a member of the Napa County Grand Jury from 2007 to 2009. David is a dedicated, competent social security disability attorney. David can help if you or someone you know is unable to work because of a long-term disability and may be eligible to receive social security disability benefits from the government.

Mr. Linden graduated from UC Santa Barbara where he majored in Political Science and minored in Philosophy. He was a member of the University’s swimming and water polo teams, excelling as an athlete and team member. After graduating from UCSB in 1964, David attended Hastings College of the Law in San Francisco.

More about Attorney David Linden

Don’t Wait to Ask For Help. Reach Out Today!

Often, people wait until after they are denied benefits to contact us. Their claims might be legitimate, but are denied due to incomplete medical and vocational information, inexpertly completed applications, or wrongheaded conclusions by their medical consultants. You can avoid these problems by reaching out to us before you file a claim. We have over 40 years of experience with Social Security claims and private disability appeals. Let our expert team of LTD lawyers represent you, whether it’s preparing all the paperwork necessary to file your application or starting an appeal. We know what documentation is required and have experience dealing with physicians to ensure that medical records submitted to SSA or private insurers are complete. We will handle your claim personally and with compassion.

How Do I Help My Loved One Dealing with an SSI or Disability Case?

Family members may find themselves caring for a loved one with a serious medical condition. Applying for benefits on behalf of a loved one is another way you can assist since many disability applicants are unable to handle the application process. The Social Security System has processes that allow you to complete most of the required disability claim forms, although you cannot sign on his or her behalf. You will need to work with your loved one’s doctor to collect the required medical evidence of disability. There is a complex, lengthy application process for those needing to apply for disability benefits. Once you have applied and submitted your application, the Social Security Administration (SSA) will review the application. You will be contacted if they have questions or need further documentation. SSA will either approve or deny your application. If it is denied, you have 60 days to submit an appeal application.

The Social Security disability benefits system is perhaps the most confusing of all of the federal bureaucracies. The statistics are not good. About 3,000,000 people apply for Social Security Disability Insurance or for SSI benefits a year. Over 70% are turned down. When SSA denies meritorious claims, they do not provide adequate explanations of their action and do not give any guidance about how the applicant can change the result on appeal. As a result, fewer than half of the applicants who receive these unfavorable decisions decide to appeal. If an applicant persists through SSA’s “reconsideration” appeal and to a hearing, about 50% of those who have a hearing will eventually get a favorable decision and receive the benefits for which they have paid.

You may want to consider hiring a disability lawyer who can assist with disability and appeal applications, as having a knowledgeable legal representative dramatically increases the odds of receiving benefits.

The social security disability attorneys at Linden and Cottrell Law in Napa,California are well-versed in the laws concerning Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), Social Security Insurance (SSI), and Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) disability claims. When we serve as your representative, you can devote your energy to taking care of your loved one. Our professional legal team will advocate for you throughout the process of developing the strongest possible case to present to the SSA. We have the knowledge, expertise, and experience necessary to increase your chance of getting benefits. Leave the stress of dealing with Social Security or your loved one’s private long term disability benefits insurer to us. While we cannot guarantee a favorable result, between us, Linden and Cottrell Law has over 40 years of experience with matters of disability law.

Attorney Charles Cottrell in Napa, CA

Charles Cottrell has been practicing law since 2001, when he graduated from the University of Washington School of Law. He completed his undergraduate degrees in German and Economics at the University of Utah.

In 2007, after several years as an associate in a mid-sized full service firm in Seattle, Mr. Cottrell began practicing exclusively in the area of Social Security disability law. He has represented well over 1,000 clients in hearings before Social Security Administrative Law Judges since that time. Chuck is currently licensed to practice in Washington State and before the Social Security Administration.

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Offering you real help with your Supplemental Security Income and Disability Claims

At Linden and Cottrell Law we successfully represent applicants for Social Security Disability, SSI benefits, and ERISA every day. We have years of experience. Here’s what we do to help. We work with you to have your doctor complete a statement that tells SSA or the private insurer about the nature of your disability and how it affects your functional capacity. With your help we develop evidence of your impairment from other sources, such as family members, friends, and former co-workers. We prepare all paperwork necessary to file your application or appeal.

In claims with SSA, if a hearing is required, we prepare you for the hearing so that you will have a good idea of the physical setup of the hearing room, who will be at the hearing, and what kinds of questions will be asked. In most cases, we will prepare a written statement about your case to send to the administrative law judge before the hearing so that he or she will understand what your background and circumstances are; what is your disabling impairment; how the disability affects your capacity to work on a full time, regular and sustained basis; and what medical evidence supports our case. It is our intention that, by the time you have your hearing, you will understand what is going to happen and that, when the hearing is over, you will feel that you have had the opportunity to explain fully how your life has been affected by your impairments.

If we lose at the hearing level, or if your ERISA claim is denied, you and your attorney will talk about whether further appeal might change the result. If we agree that SSA’s administrative law judge has made legal or factual errors in the decision that might have changed the outcome if she or he had gotten it right, we will file an appeal to the SSA Appeals Council. If we feel that a lawsuit is necessary to enforce your rights in your ERISA claim, we will make arrangements for the lawsuit to proceed. We have been fortunate to have to file such appeals only in a small minority of claims, but it does happen.

More about our Social Security and Disability Claim services

How Do I Help My Patient Dealing with an SSI or Disability Case?

Doctors and health care workers can help patients applying for disability benefits by becoming familiar with the medical evidence required by SSA to determine whether or not someone is disabled. Accurate and complete medical information from treating physicians is vital to winning a disability claim. In addition, a physician’s detailed opinion of a patient’s impairments and conditions that limit his or her ability to work is crucial. A disability attorney can point you in the right direction.

The social security disability attorneys at Linden and Cottrell Law are well-versed in the laws concerning Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), Social Security Insurance (SSI), and Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) disability claims. We know the medical documentation that SSA requires. Our professional legal team will advocate for your patient throughout the process of developing the strongest possible case to present to the SSA. We have the knowledge, expertise, and experience necessary to increase your patient’s chance of getting benefits. Let us advise you on the exact medical information that we will need for your patient’s claim. We’d love to help.

Disability and Appeal Applications Confusing You? We Can Help!

There is a complex, lengthy application process for those needing to apply for disability benefits. Once you have applied and submitted your application, the Social Security Administration (SSA) will review the application. You will be contacted if they have questions or need further documentation. SSA will either approve or deny your application. If it is denied, you have 60 days to submit an appeal application. This can be an intimidating process.

The expert team of disability lawyers at Linden and Cottrell Law in Napa, California is here to represent you, whether it’s preparing all the paperwork necessary to file your application or starting an appeal. We know what documentation is required, have experience dealing with physicians to ensure that medical records submitted to SSA or private insurers are complete, and are familiar with how the court system works. Your job is to take care of yourself and your health. Leave the stress of dealing with Social Security or your private long term disability benefits insurer to us.

Frequently Asked Questions about SSI and Disability Cases

Below you’ll find answers to commonly-asked questions. If you don’t see what you’re looking for, please reach out to us. We’re always happy to help!

Do you only represent people living in Napa County?

No. We currently represent clients from all over California and have represented many clients who live outside of California. We are able to represent people in front of the Social Security Administration throughout the United States. However, the majority of our clients come from Northern California: places like Monterey, San Jose, San Francisco, Oakland, Walnut Creek, Vallejo, San Rafael, Santa Rosa, Stockton, Sacramento, Redding, Ukiah, Crescent City, and everywhere in between.

Do you hold in person meetings?

We can, but given the health problems of many of our clients, we have been particularly careful during Covid. We find communicating over the phone or even with a Zoom meeting works in most cases. It saves travel costs as well. However, at times an in-person meeting is necessary and we can facilitate that with proper precautions.

How much does it cost to get a consultation?

Nothing. Give us a call!

What information do I need to have prepared before I call for the first time?

In our initial phone call, we will ask you questions about why you are applying for disability. This will include questions about your medical impairments, including both physical and mental impairments. We will ask questions about your past and current medical treatment. We will also ask about your work history. Other issues will undoubtedly arise. These questions are all questions you will be asked by Social Security in your application for disability and help us determine your potential eligibility. You don’t need to have all of that information at your finger tips when you first call, just a willingness to answer questions.

Do I need to have already been denied by Social Security before I can speak to you?

No. In fact, we often talk to people who have not yet stopped working, but are seeking advice about whether disability is something they might qualify for in the near future. We help people at all stages of the process, from initial application through any necessary appeals.

Do you take child cases?

Yes.

Do you help people apply for retirement benefits?

Only if they are applying for disability benefits at the same time. We do not handle claims that are for retirement benefits alone. That is usually a straightforward matter that you can handle yourself with the help of local Social Security Field Office staff.

Do I need to be getting medical treatment before I apply for disability?

Yes. Social Security regulations require that your claims for disability be supported by “medically determinable evidence.” This means notes from doctor visits, therapists, emergency rooms, crisis clinics, in-patient hospitalizations, physical therapists, and other potential sources. If you are not getting medical treatment, your chances of getting approved for disability benefits are low.

We’ve Helped Many Others Just Like You

Chuck (Charles Cottrell) has been a great lawyer for me in my persuit of getting SSD benefits since becoming disabled in 2001 with pancreatitis. Which I almost died from. I tried on my own for several years to get SSD and was always denied. Have had to go to court recently and will know in 2 months ...

Helping People in Napa CA and Surrounding Area

Although we’re based in Napa, we also service the greater San Francisco area including: Oakland, Solano County, Santa Rosa, and Sacramento. Contact us today if you are looking for assistance filing a disability claim or appeal.

At Linden and Cottrell Law, we are well-versed in the laws concerning Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), Social Security Insurance (SSI), and Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) disability claims. We will handle your claim personally. Our professional legal team will advocate for you throughout the process of developing the strongest possible case to present to the Social Security Administration (SSA). We have the knowledge, expertise, and experience necessary to increase your chance of getting benefits. Your job is to take care of yourself and your health. Leave the stress of dealing with Social Security or your private long term disability benefits insurer to us.

More about our service area in California

We’ve Helped Many Others Just Like You

Don’t Wait to Ask For Help. Reach Out Today!

All too often, people wait until after they are denied benefits to contact us. Their claims might be legitimate, but are denied due to incomplete medical and vocational information, inexpertly completed applications, or wrongheaded conclusions by their medical consultants. You can avoid these problems by reaching out to Linden and Cottrell Law in Napa, California before you file a claim. We know what documentation is required, have experience dealing with physicians to ensure that medical records submitted to SSA or private insurers are complete, and are familiar with how the court system works.