Appeal deadline questions after an unemployment denial after 11 years as a call-centre agent

My claim was denied after 26 weeks of waiting, and the letter says I have a short window to appeal. It has been a long 26 weeks. The letter lists a deadline and a hearing process, but it is hard to follow. Should I ask someone for free legal help?

Thanks for writing this out. I went through something close to it 5 months ago, and it settled down once I kept a simple log of every call and form.

I printed my emails in order and wrote a one-page timeline. The hearing officer kept going back to it.