Alecia Elston

I highly recommend Alecia Elston for your disability case! She made the entire process of applying for disability benefits as painless as possible, and with her support and guidance, my case had a positive outcome on the first application! She also has an excellent support team in her office, that ...was always available to answer questions and provide help.

In April I consulted with Alecia about my disability and walked away very encouraged by what she had to say. We had several conversations through email or by phone, the end of July Alecia called to tell me we had won. I would definitely recommend Segar and Sciortino. I also have a few friends who h...ave used this firm and have had nothing but great things to say as well.

I pen this complimentary submission to AVVO regarding Counselor Alecia Elston's outstanding (and successful) representation in and of a five (5) year claim for Social Security Disability Benefits ending with a “favorable” adjudication in August, 2015. After thirty two (32) years as a Paralegal ass...ociated with only three (3) firms over those years, in 2010 I could no longer professionally perform my responsibilities and, in March of that year I protectively filed my application(s) for SSI and SSDI. Of course, seven (7) months later my claim(s) were Denied and I became just another statistic, as nearly sixty-five (65) percent of initial claims are denied. Please see the statistics available to us as Claimants at “http://www.ssdrc.com/10-3.html”. And so began the five (5) year long battle with the Social Security Administration and having to deal with the numerous dis-functional personnel at the local ODAR office who “lost” my Appeal filed in May of 2013 and only by happenstance did I discover this in November, 2013. Acknowledging that I shouldn't be be representing myself, I engaged Counselor Elston shortly thereafter and trusted in her and in Segar and Sciortino to do what both I alone and with my former Attorney(s) couldn't do. It should be noted that I had retained very competent Counsel in and for my first hearing in September, 2012, which unfortunately (again) resulted in a denial named as an “Unfavorable” Decision. Denials and Unfavorable Decisions are a given when dealing with the Social Security Administration; it's not any Attorneys' fault if we as Claimants are denied the Disability benefits we are / were seeking. Regarding my personal interaction with Counselor Elston and her staff, we as Claimants have to understand that she and her Firm have a heavy caseload so that at times there were delays in communication but never a phone call wasn't eventually returned even after hours as late as 8pm. With all due respect to the numerous Firms that are disability advocates, before I engaged Segar and Sciortino in 2013 and Counselor Elston in particular, I had researched the success rate of these other quality Firms which then enabled me to make an informed decision to hire Counselor Elston. Due to my limitations, and with much difficulty, it has taken me since the fall of 2015 to be able to write this review of Counselor Elston's representation in/for my Claim(s). As I mentioned above, in 2015 I finally prevailed in my Claim for SSDI after five (5) years. Had I not received a “Favorable” Decision, Counselor Elston would still be representing me as I am permanently disabled after having contributed to the Social Security system ever since 1972 !

Every time I called, I would have to call multiple times. Niether her or her secretary could ever both to return my calls. On the few occasions that she happened to answer her phone, she didn't even know who I am. Also she would rush me off the phone ,like she didn't have time for me. I don't have th...e luxury of loosing my case. I found another lawyer today.

She is an absolute waste of time and greedy!!!! I am completely disabled and my case was rock solid. I made the mistake of going with this firm. I contacted them in Oct. Of 2013. Filled out all the paperwork and sent it back the same day I got it. I thought they had filled it. I knew what it would ta...ke time. So I didn't call them. Finally after hearing nothing come January, I called. She had no idea who I was! Then she tells me they didn't file my paperwork! Stupidly I stayed with them. The few times I did call, I had to leave multiple messages and only once did I get a phone call back. There is more, but I don't want to waste to much more of my time on them. I ended up switching to stanley law and they were amazing! I won my case! Now I get a letter from ssd saying that Alecia Elston is charging me $1,000 for 4hrs and 45mins! It's disgusting. Because of the time I wasted with this incompetent group, we are now $40,000 in debt. DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME OR MONEY!!!!!