Heard & Smith

Read the first review. RUN from this firm as fast as you can. I only spoke with clerks answering the phone for the first months. My case was good they said. They told me I could do a small amount of work. Turns out it was the wrong thing to do. Learned that when I finally talked to a lawyer about a video hearing. Video hearing was a good thing because my case was good. Turns out not so good by the attorney representing me at the hearing. He called about a month ahead and said case was a ⁵⁰⁄₅₀ shot. Got to the hearing and he told me essentially that case was a loser. I could pass on hearing or go through with it. 10 minutes before the hearing he presented a contract for fees. Who has time to read it before hearing. Case going south at hearing and he did nothing to help bring it out of the toilet. Now benefits denied. They protected right to appeal but will not handle appeal briefing or procedural matters. Cut me loose. Can find another firm they said. Case is good they said. They know that is crap and reversal is almost impossible to do. Try the Bob Richardson law firm in Austin. RUN RUN RUN as fast as you can from this firm.

I am pretty sure H&S changed their information/​name on Unilocal to avoid people seeing their poor reviews on their original business entry. Go back and read the reviews. This is by far the worst operation I have ever done business with. Not only are you not assigned a point of contact (you get «helped» by whoever in their call center-​and expect different answers from different staff. Not only did they never inform me of the SSA’s decision (all I got from them was a letter asking me to refer them to friends with business cards and magnets) but instead of the $ 6000 I had to pay them by law (or 25% of the award-​which ever is LESS) the claimed $ 18 000 (yes 18 thousand) dollars, which the Social Security Administration took out of my award and paid them directly) FOR EXPENSES!!! What expenses? I did most of the work!!! Run. Run very far from this firm-​find one that is LOCAL to you and has good reviews. I’m planning on paying to join Angie’s List just to write a review about them. And I can’t afford to do it, but that’s how strongly I feel.