Preparing For Your Disability Hearing

How Do You Prepare For Your Hearing?

There are a few things to keep in mind when going into your disability hearing:

• Meet with your Lawyer– An experienced attorney will meet with you personally or by phone prior to the hearing to discuss your medical issues, work history and the hearing procedures. Knowing how to describe your medical problems within the context of the Social Security Regulations is crucial. Some facts which you may consider of great importance are actually irrelevant while others you may think trivial are the opposite. The hearing process will be described in detail, as well as questions you may be asked and how to respond. This will put you in a comfortable frame of mind to go through the hearing process without feeling lost or uncertain.
• Be on time– The hearing could be in person, by video or phone. Your attorney can describe for you the method in which the hearing will be conducted, -and you should be prepared to start exactly on time.
• Dress Appropriately– If in-person or by video, wear subdued clothes; avoid bright colors, busy patterns, or items with logos and statements. Also avoid more than a modest amount of jewelry. We want the Administrative Law Judge to focus on what you are saying, -not what you are wearing!
• Speak Clearly– When addressing the ALJ, if appropriate, respond with yes sir and no sir, or simply yes and no. Try not to use phrases like, “yeah, OK, un-huh, right,” or anything like these. If you don’t understand something asked of you, ask for clarification, there is nothing wrong with this. Always answer any questions directly first and then explain your answer if needed.
• Know the facts in your own case– Refresh your memory as to when and where you worked, dates of hospitalizations, doctors and medical treatments. It is not expected for you to have total recall as to everything, but if you can answer within some time frame, even if only the year- it is much better than “I don’t know or I don’t remember”
• Always tell the truth– No matter what the question, what you think of it or how it is presented, -you always, always tell the truth, regardless of what the truth may be. Sometimes it is easy, in the moment, to greatly exaggerate your symptoms or restrictions, and when asked a difficult or surprising question- to not want to give an unfavorable answer- neither of these will help your claim and may be fatal in the judge’s evaluation of your truthfulness.

So- clearly this is much to consider and evaluate, the process is complex and having an experienced attorney to guide you is of paramount importance, our lawyers are here to help you.