Common Questions

How Often Will I Meet With My Attorney During My Case?

The attorneys at Mike Murburg, P.A. are all well seasoned trial attorneys whose skills, much like those of a skilled surgeon, are honed by trying numerous cases on a weekly basis. Like a heart, eye or neurosurgeon, you will meet your attorney initially, then for a pretrial (surgical) preparation and then just before and during the trial (surgery).

At Mike Murburg, P.A. you will be interviewed by an attorney at the onset of your case. That attorney will be the one whose staff will be in charge of your file.

When your case gets to the hearing stage, our staff will send you a fairly extensive questionnaire that you must complete for us since these questions are the ones whose answers your attorney will be reviewing with you when you meet with him or her for your pre-hearing work-up.

The questionnaire you will complete for us was developed by the attorneys at Mike Murburg, P.A. to be extremely comprehensive and has taken over 16 years to develop. It literally contains every question and area of inquiry your Social Security judge can or will normally ask. So it is absolutely necessary that you complete and answer all questions and return it to our office prior to your second meeting with your attorney at your pre-trial work-up. Your attorney will talk to you about the hearing process, procedures and protocol and about the judge that will hear your case.

Please note that if you have moved or your hearing is outside the Tampa Bay - West Coast of Florida area, your meeting will be telephone or done via computer-telecamera over the internet. At your second meeting, your attorney will review your answers with you and make his own notes and highlight the important facts and issues in your case. The third time you see your attorney will be the Social Security Administration office where your case will be tried. We usually arrive about an hour early for your hearing. The attorney will review the judge’s file to make sure all exhibits are in your Social Security Administration file and have copies made to supplement your file if necessary. Then your attorney will meet with you to review any last minute facts and issues and answer any of your remaining questions prior to the hearing. The judge will ask your attorney if he has personally reviewed your file that morning and to let the court know of any objections and will confirm that your attorney has received the file and all pertinent issues with you, so we are very careful that this is all done.

The hearing is generally informal (only you, the judge, assistant and a medical or vocational evaluator will be in the hearing room) and you will be seated before the judge with your attorney. Your attorney, the judge or both will direct questions to you and any subsequent medical or vocational witnesses who may testify after you.

When your hearing is over the Court will “close the record” and your attorney will let you and the Court know that the attorney and you are getting up to leave by asking “May we be excused now?” When the Court acknowledges this, you both may get up and leave the hearing room.

Just like a surgeon after surgery, your attorney will discuss any questions you may have subsequent to the hearing and await your favorable decision. If the decision is fully favorable, as it is in the vast majority of the cases we accept, you will not need to meet with your attorney again. If your decision is partially favorable or unfavorable, a fourth meeting with him or her will be scheduled to discuss the trial record and appeal to the next level and into Federal District Court. If your case is reversed and remanded you will see your attorney once again for another pre-trial work-up and at your rehearing should your case be remanded for trial by the Federal District Court Magistrate or Judge who reversed the Social Security Administration judge’s unfavorable decision.

Ultimately, if you obtain a favorable disability ruling, you will not need or want to see your attorney, unless you just want to stop by and say thanks.

New Port Richey Office
6927 Shady Acres Boulevard
New Port Richey, FL 34653
(727) 845-6333

East Pasco Office
38016 Pasco Avenue
Dade City, FL 33525
(352) 518-0262

Tampa Office
15501 North Florida Avenue
Tampa, FL  33613

Clearwater Office
3000 Gulf to Bay, Suite 206
Clearwater, FL  33759
(727) 669-2889

Springhill Office
15909 U.S. Highway 19
Hudson, FL 34667

Citrus County Office
307 S. Citrus Avenue
Inverness, FL  34452
(352) 726-3492

Sarasota Office
1990 Main Street, Suite 750
Sarasota, FL 34236
Tel. 941-309-5154

© Copyright May 2006 Mike Murburg, PA. Florida social security disability lawyer procures the fullest compensation amount. © Copyright May 2006 Mike Murburg, PA. Our lawyers provide legal representation for personal injury, social security, SSI, and other injury law matters. Our attorneys have local offices servicing Tampa, St. Petersburg, Clearwater, Ft. Myers, Gainesville, Lakeland, Sarasota, New Port Richey, Springhill, Brooksville, Ocala, Inverness, Dade City, Hudson, Bradenton, Tallahassee, Jacksonville, Bartow, and Hillsborough , Pinellas, Pasco , Lee, Polk, Manatee, Sarasota, Alachua, Charlotte, Lake, Marion, Levy, Sumter, Union, Collier, Citrus, Highlands, Desoto, Glades, Hardee, Hendry . We act as counsel for clients throughout West Coast of Florida, North Florida, Central Florida, South Florida and the Panhandle.