SeniorLAW: Empowering Older Residents of Milwaukee County with Legal Assistance
Written by: Legal Action of Wisconsin
SeniorLAW, a dedicated project of Legal Action of Wisconsin, offers comprehensive legal services to individuals aged sixty and older in Milwaukee County regardless of income. Our focus is on assisting at-risk and vulnerable older adults, ensuring they receive the legal aid they need to defend their rights and maintain their dignity and autonomy.
Services We Offer
SeniorLAW provides a wide range of legal services to help older adults understand, assert, and retain their legal rights and benefits. Our services include:
- Legal Representation: Our team of attorneys and paralegals (Elder Benefit Specialists) offer full representation in legal matters, from initial consultation to litigation.
- Advice and Advocacy: We assist with navigating complex legal issues with brief services and legal advice, ensuring our clients’ rights are protected.
- Education and Outreach: We conduct workshops, presentations, and participate in community events to educate older adults about their legal rights.
Areas of Focus
We can help with many different issues, but we specialize in resolving legal problems related to:
- Medicare and Medicaid
- Social Security and SSI Eligibility and Overpayments
- Long-Term Care, including FamilyCare and IRIS
- FoodShare
- Evictions
- Debts
Success Stories
Our work has had a profound impact on the lives of many older adults in Milwaukee County. Here are a few examples of how we’ve helped:
- Securing Essential Dental Care: We helped a client get a Medicaid approval for a crucial root canal, ensuring she could maintain her ability to chew food. Her prior authorization was first denied, but with the help of Legal Action Elder Benefits Specialists, the client was able to receive a fair hearing and the denial was reversed. The client received the root canal, and the entire procedure was covered by Medicaid.
- Restoring SSI Benefits: A low-income client with a disability was receiving long term care at home and applied for a special expense supplement through SSI. SSI never responded to the request and it was not clear how to resolve the matter in this unique case. Legal Action Elder Benefits Specialists requested a fair hearing on the matter. We successfully argued the case for the client to receive SSI exceptional expense supplements. In addition, the client received back paid benefits to her original request date.
- Preventing Homelessness: We negotiated a new lease for a veteran who received a lease non-renewal notice shortly after requesting a disability accommodation. It took months of advocacy for our attorney to correct this injustice and keep the veteran in his home.
- Eliminating Unjust Debt: An older adult living in an assisted living facility was financially exploited by his guardian, quickly depleting his assets. There were delays when trying to resolve the situation and secure economic benefits and care for the client, causing bills at the facility to add up. A Legal Action attorney filed a fair hearing request to realign important dates in the process and wipe out $14,000 in medical bills.
Contact Us
We welcome potential clients, program partners, and referral agencies to join us in supporting older adults in Milwaukee County. By working together, we can ensure that our clients live with dignity, autonomy, and financial security.
For more information or to seek our services, please contact us:
- Phone: (414) 278-1222
- Email: IntakesSeniorLAW@legalaction.org
We are available Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. to assist you. Whether you need legal representation or just have questions, SeniorLAW is here to help. Sadly, there is a greater need for our services than we can meet. If we are not able to take your case, we will offer referral options and try to connect you with other organizations that may be able to help.
To explore all the services Legal Action provides visit our All Services page. To find out if you’re eligible for other services and to start our intake process visit our Get Help page.