Most people who apply for disability benefits get a “no” first. That letter isn’t the end. For many Angelenos it’s where the real case begins, often months later in a small hearing room before a federal judge, or in a lawsuit against an insurance company that stopped paying.
A disability lawyer in Los Angeles usually handles one of two very different fights. The first is with the Social Security Administration over SSDI or SSI. The second is with a private insurer over long-term disability coverage from work. The rules, deadlines, and fees are completely different, so the first step is knowing which fight you’re in. This list includes specialists in both.
Disability Benefits: The Key Numbers
These figures and rules apply to claims filed in Los Angeles this year:
- Earnings limit: In 2026, earning more than $1,690 a month ($2,830 if you’re blind) generally means Social Security won’t consider you disabled.
- What SSDI pays: The average monthly SSDI payment is about $1,630 after the 2.8% cost-of-living increase. The 2026 maximum is $4,152.
- SSI: The federal SSI payment for an individual is $994 a month, and California adds a small state supplement.
- Capped fees: For Social Security cases, a lawyer’s fee is generally 25% of back pay, up to $9,200, and paid only if you win.
- Short appeal windows: You usually have 60 days to appeal a Social Security denial. Employer-sponsored long-term disability plans generally give you 180 days to file an internal appeal.
SSDI vs. Long-Term Disability: Which Lawyer Do You Need?
Social Security cases go through government stages: application, reconsideration, a hearing before an administrative law judge, and, if needed, federal court. You don’t sue anyone until the end.
Long-term disability claims through an employer are usually governed by ERISA, a federal law that limits what you can recover and what evidence a court will review. The internal appeal you file with the insurer often becomes the entire record. If it’s weak, a later lawsuit may fail. That’s why many ERISA lawyers want to be involved before the appeal, not after.
Five Firms to Call for a Disability Lawyer in Los Angeles
1. Kantor & Kantor
Glenn and Lisa Kantor built their Northridge firm around a single kind of opponent: insurance companies that deny benefits. The firm focuses on ERISA and insurance bad faith, including long-term disability, life, health, and long-term care claims. It has handled denials for conditions that insurers often doubt, such as ME/CFS, lupus, and eating disorders.
Five of its attorneys, including both founders, have been named to Super Lawyers lists. The firm also writes Your ERISA Watch, a blog that tracks court decisions on employee benefits.
- Go here for: long-term disability and other insurance denials under ERISA
- Office: 9301 Corbin Avenue, Suite 1400, Northridge, CA 91324
2. Donahue & Horrow
When Unum denied a client’s disability claim, Michael Horrow didn’t stop after one loss. He won the client a second trial in an ERISA case, a rare result in a system that heavily favors insurers. The firm reports a $1.9 million disability settlement for a physician and more than $500 million in total recoveries across its cases. Both figures come from the firm itself.
Founding partners Thomas Donahue and Michael Horrow have more than 80 years of combined experience. That matters for high earners such as doctors, dentists, and executives, who often carry individual “own-occupation” policies that pay large monthly benefits and are fought hard by insurers.
- Go here for: professionals with high-value disability policies
- Office: 1960 East Grand Avenue, Suite 1215, El Segundo, CA 90245
3. Law Offices of Lawrence D. Rohlfing
Lawrence Rohlfing has practiced Social Security disability law since 1985. He served as president of the National Organization of Social Security Claimants’ Representatives in 2006 and 2007, the national group for lawyers who represent disability claimants.
His experience reaches past the hearing stage. He has argued Social Security cases before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, including Crawford v. Astrue. Many claimants give up after a judge denies them, but a federal court appeal is still possible, and that’s where his experience counts. He also holds Martindale-Hubbell’s AV Preeminent rating and handles employee benefits cases.
- Go here for: appeals after a judge has already denied your claim
- Office: 12631 Imperial Highway, Suite C115, Santa Fe Springs, CA 90670
4. Pisegna & Zimmerman
For many disability claimants in Los Angeles, language is the first barrier. Pisegna & Zimmerman offers services in English, Spanish, Farsi, Armenian, and Cambodian. That range matches the communities of the San Fernando Valley and beyond.
The firm has handled disability cases for more than two decades. It covers SSDI, SSI, long-term disability, and appeals. Its attorneys say they have overturned thousands of denials, a figure the firm reports itself. Phone and video appointments help clients who can’t easily travel.
- Go here for: SSDI and SSI claims with multilingual support
- Office: 5170 North Sepulveda Boulevard, Suite 230, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
5. Law Office of Ronald P. Ehrman
Ronald Ehrman has represented injured and disabled clients from his Westlake office since 1991. His bilingual firm serves Spanish-speaking clients and handles Social Security disability claims from reconsideration through administrative hearings.
One practical touch stands out. The firm will meet clients at home or in the hospital, which helps people too sick to travel across town. Ehrman also urges clients not to wait a full year before applying, since benefits can begin once you meet the requirements.
- Go here for: Spanish-speaking clients and people who can’t easily travel
- Office: 1930 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 505, Los Angeles, CA 90057
In LA, Your Judge Can Matter as Much as Your File
Los Angeles has more than one Social Security hearing office, and the numbers differ. In the 12 months ending July 2026, the Los Angeles Downtown office had an average wait of about eight months and approved about 65% of claims, according to SSA data compiled by Chronicle Legal. The Los Angeles West office averaged nine months and approved about 62.5%. Both are above the national approval rate of 57.6%.
The bigger gap is between individual judges. At the West office, listed approval rates start at about 41% for one judge and run much higher for others. You can’t choose your judge, but an experienced local lawyer knows how each one tends to rule. That knowledge shapes your case.
Before your hearing, make sure you:
- Get updated medical records into the file at least five business days before the hearing
- Ask your doctor for a written opinion on what you can and can’t do at work
- Keep a simple log of bad days, missed activities, and side effects
Disability Claim Questions LA Residents Ask
Q1. How much does a disability lawyer cost in Los Angeles?
A: For Social Security cases, the fee is generally 25% of back pay, capped at $9,200, and paid only if you win. Long-term disability lawyers usually charge contingency fees.
Q2. How long does a Social Security disability hearing take in Los Angeles?
A: Recent SSA data shows average waits of about eight months at the Downtown office and nine months at the West office, after earlier denials.
Q3. Can I work while receiving SSDI in California?
A: Yes, within limits. In 2026, earnings above $1,690 a month generally count as substantial work. A trial work period lets you test working without losing benefits immediately.
Q4. What should I do if my long-term disability claim is denied?
A: Talk to a lawyer before filing your appeal. Under ERISA, the appeal record often becomes the evidence a court reviews, so missing documents now can hurt you later.
