About Us - Law Office
of Gerard Lynch

Social Security Lawyer in Houston

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Gerard Lynch

Gerard Lynch, founding attorney and longtime resident of Houston, Texas, went into the area of Social Security law when a close family member began suffering from a disability. Mr. Lynch realized that there was a need for disabled individuals to have a competent, empathetic, and devoted attorney on a disability case after he had personally experienced the process with his own family. After more than 30 years representing disabled people, Mr. Lynch believes that he has truly made a difference for disabled Texans.

After one year of graduate school in Clinical Psychology, Mr. Lynch decided to pursue a career in the law. He graduated from South Texas College of Law in 1985. He is a past president of the Houston Bar Association Social Security section, and has spoken throughout his career concerning social security topics. He graduated from high school in Central America and speaks Spanish. He is a member of the National Organization of Social Security Claimants’ Representatives and is licensed to practice law in the state of Texas.

Odilia Ponce

Odilia Ponce has worked in Mr. Lynch’s Social Security disability practice for over 25 years. She is passionate about getting disabled people the benefits they deserve and expertly helps people navigate the often-confusing Social Security system. Born in Mexico, Odilia is a native Spanish speaker. She often visits and cares for her parents at their ranch near Houston and enjoys spending time with her three children and seven grandchildren. Our office frequently receives compliments from clients about her patience and helpfulness.

Bryan LaVergne

Bryan LaVergne is a certified EDPNA and has worked with Mr. Lynch to represent Social Security claimants since 2018. Originally from Port Arthur, Texas, Bryan is passionate about representing disabled clients and is especially skilled at articulating complex medical issues. Before entering Social Security practice, Bryan worked in a laboratory setting doing biomedical research. He completed his Bachelor’s degree in Mathematical Biology at the University of Houston and is currently a law student in the evening program at the University of Houston Law Center. Bryan is a member of the National Organization of Social Security Claimants’ Representatives NextGen section.

Jane Foreman

Jane Foreman is a certified EDPNA and has worked with Mr. Lynch to represent Social Security claimants since 2020. A native Houstonian, Jane graduated summa cum laude from Antioch College in 2017. Jane’s approach to disability is informed by caring for a disabled parent and living with an invisible disability. At night, Jane is a law student in the evening program at the University of Houston Law Center. Jane is a member of the National Organization of Social Security Claimants’ Representatives NextGen section, the Disability Law Society at the University of Houston Law Center, and the National Lawyers Guild.

Client Testimonials

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This case was my first time hiring a lawyer but I am glad that the attorney I chose worked diligently with me to help me get the results I was looking for. I am confident in letting the law offices of Gerard Lynch handle my business when needed, and I will be contacting this office when or is there is another matter that I need handled. I, Alexander Foster, am very satisfied with the outcome of my case. The Law Office of Gerard Lynch and I worked together and we achieved the goal that we were striving for. I am so thankful.

Alexander Foster,
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The best and foremost compliment I can give this firm is the fact that I didn't have to come in to the office and overall my case was handled very expeditiously. Thanks for a job well done on my behalf.

Kathy Brown,
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We need more lawyers like Mr. Lynch with an understanding heart and mind. May God bless you and your staff. I enjoyed working with Mr. Lynch and thank you so very much.

M. Robertson,

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to be disabled permanently to receive Social Security Disability (SSD)?

No you do not. A claimant needs to be disabled for at least 12 months or have a medical condition that is terminal or expected to lead to death. Sometimes a claimant is not disabled permanently but has a certain time frame in which they are disabled from working. For example, a claimant may get into a car accident, need to have multiple surgeries and is out of work for at least one year. That claimant can receive benefits for the period before he or she returned back to work.

It is possible but rare. In a SSD case, medical records are your evidence and that is the proof you have to show the SSA and an social security judge that you do have a severe medical condition that keeps you from working. If you do not have recent medical records, it is much harder to win a case. There is a possibility, though not common, that your case might be approved simply by going to a consultative exam that SSA sends you to, where a doctor gives you a physical or mental examination.

One benefit of working with our office is that we will look carefully at your case and if you do not have enough or current medical records, we can often give you information about low-income or indigent health services where you can go and get medical treatment for free or greatly reduced cost.

Our law firm, the Law Office of Gerard Lynch, only charges our clients if we win their SSD or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. We charge on a contingency basis, 25% of the backpay, a cap of up to $6000, awarded to a claimant when we win the case. The fees are regulated by the Social Security Administration (SSA). If we do not win their case, we do not charge anything no matter how much work we have done. Once a client wins and their monthly checks begin, they will keep 100% of their checks.

Social Security Disability (SSD) comes from FICA taxes that are deducted from paychecks during the work history of a person. Every month that a person works and reports income to the government, taxes are deducted which are paid into social security. When FICA taxes are taken out of paychecks, most of it goes into the social security retirement fund. However, a smaller portion goes into the social security disability fund. People who become disabled over their lifetime and are not yet eligible to get their full age retirement benefits can get benefits from the disability fund. One difference between Social Security Disability (SSD) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is that Social Security Disability (SSD) is like social security retirement – it does not matter how much money a person has or how many assets they have.

Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a different program for disabled people and it is like a form of welfare. Like food stamps, if you have too much money, assets or property, then you will be ineligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) even if you are clearly disabled. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is for people who are either too young to have paid enough into the system or have not worked recently enough to receive Social Security Disability (SSD). The benefits given to Supplemental Security Income (SSI) claimants come from the general US government fund. To receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI), a claimant has to be equally disabled to a person who receives Social Security Disability (SSD) – the standard for determining disability are the same. The only difference in deciding which claimant receives Social Security Disability (SSD) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) comes from the amount of money paid into the social security system over one’s lifetime.