Bill Latour is a disability representative, not a lawyer, who works on SSDI and SSI appeals
Bill Latour is a disability representative accredited by the Social Security Administration. He represents claimants at the reconsideration and hearing stages of the SSDI and SSI appeals process. He does not practice law and cannot give legal information, but he can gather medical records, prepare your case file, and present your claim to an administrative law judge.
Disability representatives like Latour are paid only if you win your case — the fee comes from your back pay award, capped at 25 percent of the past-due benefits or $7,200, whichever is less. This means he has no reason to take a case he does not think can win, and you pay nothing upfront.
His work is specific to the appeals process. If your initial SSDI claim was denied, or if you were denied at reconsideration, a representative like Latour can help you prepare for a hearing before an administrative law judge. He cannot overturn a denial on his own or may provide an outcome.
Key Takeaways
- Bill Latour is an accredited disability representative who works on SSDI and SSI appeals, not a lawyer.
- He is paid only from your back pay if you win, capped at 25 percent of past-due benefits or $7,200, so you pay nothing upfront.
- He can gather medical evidence, organize your file, and represent you at a hearing before an administrative law judge.
- You can hire a representative at any stage of appeal, including after you have already received a denial letter.
What a disability representative does in an SSDI appeal
When you appeal a denial, Social Security sends your case through two stages before it reaches a judge. At reconsideration, a different examiner reviews your file. If you are denied again, you can request a hearing before an administrative law judge. A disability representative like Latour typically enters the case at the hearing stage, though he can also help at reconsideration.
At a hearing, the judge will ask you about your medical condition, your work history, and how your condition limits what you can do. The judge will also hear from a vocational informed — a witness who testifies about whether jobs exist that you could perform given your age, education, and limitations. A representative prepares you for these questions, makes sure your medical records are in the file, and cross-examines the vocational informed if the testimony does not match your actual abilities.
Representatives do not appear in court. They appear at Social Security hearings, which are held by video or telephone in most cases now. The hearing is informal compared to a trial, but the stakes are the same: if you win, you receive back pay and ongoing monthly benefits; if you lose, you have the right to appeal to the Appeals Council, which rarely reverses a judge's decision.
How to find and hire a disability representative
You can search for accredited representatives on the Social Security Administration's website under "Find a Representative." The search tool lets you filter by location and by credential — lawyer, non-lawyer representative, or both. Bill Latour's name and contact information would appear in that search if you live in his service area.
When you contact a representative, ask whether he takes cases in your state and at what stage of the appeal. Some representatives work only at the hearing stage; others will take a case at reconsideration. Ask about his experience with your medical condition — a representative who has handled many cases involving your diagnosis will know which medical evidence matters most and which doctors' opinions carry weight with judges in your region.
You do not need a representative to appeal. You can represent yourself, and you can also hire a lawyer instead. Lawyers are held to the same fee cap as representatives but must pass the bar exam. Some people choose a lawyer because they want someone with broader legal training; others choose a representative because they are often more affordable and more experienced specifically with Social Security hearings.
The fee agreement and what happens if you lose
Before a representative takes your case, you sign a fee agreement. This document states the representative's fee (usually 25 percent of back pay, up to the $7,200 cap) and explains that the fee comes from your award, not from your pocket. Social Security withholds the fee from your back pay and sends it directly to the representative.
If you lose at the hearing, you owe the representative nothing. The fee agreement is contingent — he is paid only if you win. This protects you from paying for a case that does not result in benefits, but it also means a representative will decline cases he believes are weak or will take years to develop.
If you win, Social Security sends you the back pay minus the representative's fee. For example, if your back pay is $20,000 and the representative's fee is 25 percent, you receive $15,000 and the representative receives $5,000. The $7,200 cap means that on very large awards, the representative's percentage drops below 25 percent.
When to hire a representative versus handling appeal yourself
You should consider hiring a representative if your medical records are scattered across multiple providers, if you have a complex condition that requires careful explanation, or if you are nervous about testifying in front of a judge. Representatives know how judges in your region think and what evidence they find persuasive. They also cross-examine the vocational informed, which can expose weaknesses in Social Security's argument that you can still work.
You can handle your own appeal if you have a straightforward case, your medical evidence is clear and recent, and you are comfortable speaking up for yourself. The hearing is not a formal trial, and judges expect unrepresented claimants. However, many people who represent themselves do not know which medical evidence to emphasize or how to challenge the vocational informed's testimony, and they lose cases they might have won with help.
The decision often comes down to money. If your back pay award will be large, the representative's fee is worth paying because you keep most of the money. If your back pay will be small — for example, if you were denied only recently and have not waited long for the appeal — the fee might consume most of your award, and representing yourself might make more sense.
Accreditation and what it means
Disability representatives must be accredited by the Social Security Administration's Office of the Inspector General. Accreditation means the representative has passed a background check, passed a test on Social Security law and procedure, and agreed to follow a code of conduct. Accredited representatives can charge fees, access your Social Security file, and represent you at hearings.
Non-accredited people — including friends, family members, and unlicensed advisors — can accompany you to a hearing and offer moral support, but they cannot officially represent you or charge a fee. If someone claims to be a representative but is not accredited, you can verify their status on the Social Security website or by calling Social Security directly.
Accreditation does not may provide success. It means the representative knows the rules and has met a baseline standard of competence. Success depends on your medical evidence, your condition, the judge assigned to your case, and how well the representative presents your claim.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I hire Bill Latour if I already have a lawyer?
No. You can have only one representative at a time. If you already hired a lawyer, you would need to fire that lawyer and sign a new fee agreement with a representative. Make sure any change makes sense for your case — switching representatives late in the process can delay your hearing.
What if I hire a representative and then want to fire him?
You can fire a representative at any time by sending Social Security a written request. The representative's fee is owed only if you win after he has worked on your case. If you fire him before the hearing, he may claim a fee for the work he did, and Social Security will hold the fee from your back pay if you later win.
How much does a disability representative cost?
You pay nothing upfront. If you win, the representative takes 25 percent of your back pay or $7,200, whichever is less. If you lose, you owe nothing. The fee comes from your award, not from your own money.
Can a representative help me at the initial process stage?
Most disability representatives work only on appeals, not on initial claims. Some lawyers and representatives will help with an initial process, but it is less common. Ask when you call whether he takes initial claims or only appeals.
What happens if my representative dies or stops working?
If your representative becomes unavailable before your hearing, Social Security will notify you and give you time to hire someone else or decide to represent yourself. You are not stuck with an unavailable representative, and you can request a postponement of your hearing to find new representation.