Understanding the goal of the hearing can help you get ready for your hearing.
The wait for a Social Security disability hearing can be excruciating. By the time that your hearing rolls around, you may have been waiting for well over a year to have you case heard by an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ), after being denied at the initial and reconsideration stages. Like many applicants, you may be in substantial pain, and in need of disability payments to help you pay your bills and live your life without additional stress.
Being nervous for your Social Security disability hearing is common. As seasoned Social Security disability attorneys, we understand that our clients are anxious about the process. Many have been waiting for the hearing for a significant period of time, unable to work, worrying about the future. Fortunately, there are things that you can do to prepare for your hearing so that you are more confident and self-assured.
If you are represented by a skilled Social Security disability attorney, he or she will make an appointment with you to go over everything that you will need to know about your hearing. This should include when you should arrive for the hearing, what you should wear, the specific issues that apply in your case, and the type of questions that you will likely face. However, there are some general guidelines that everyone facing a Social Security disability hearing can follow to help them get ready and feel more comfortable.
First, it is important to remember that unlike most court hearings, this is not an adversarial process. There will not be anyone sitting on the other side, arguing against you or your Social Security disability attorney. The ALJ is considered a neutral finder of fact with a job of determining whether your disability prevents you from working. He or she is not bound by any prior decisions or findings, and will decide your case based on your testimony, the medical evidence in your file, and the arguments that your Social Security disability attorney makes.
Second, doing your homework can help to make your case. The ALJ must determine that you suffer from severe medical condition(s) that interfere with your ability to perform any manner of employment for longer than a year. Your role at the hearing is to help the ALJ understand why your disability prevents you from working, or from going back to any of the jobs that you have done in the past 15 jobs or any other job. Understanding that, think about how your disability prevents you from working or maintaining a regular schedule. For example, you may not be able to come into work on time, stay for a full shift, or go to work 5 days a week. You may need to take naps during the day, recline, or lay down. Think about what your days are like, and what you must do to accommodate your medical condition(s). Then consider how each of these things impacts your ability to work, and make a list of these issues so that you remember them for your hearing. Remember that this list should include reasons why you can’t work a very simple job — not just positions that you have held in the past. If you have specific questions, be sure to talk to your Social Security disability attorney before the hearing.
The Social Security disability process can be complicated. Having a knowledgable Social Security disability attorney can help to make the process easier. At PLBH, we are dedicated to helping our clients get the benefits that they deserve. Contact us today at (800) 435-7542 or info@plblaw.com to schedule a consultation or to learn more about our services.