A hearing? A Judge? Sounds scary.
At the hearing stage of the disability determination process, a claimant goes before an administrative law judge to explain why they are disabled. This may seem scary or intimidating, but it’s not like going to criminal court. This is actually your best chance to be awarded benefits, because you become a real person rather than just a name on the computer or in the stack of medical records and forms.
The actual hearing is not meant be intimidating. However, unless you have an attorney who understands not only the structure of the hearing, but also the underlying rules and regulations surrounding disability, the hearing can be like being lost in the woods without a map.
At the hearing, the judge and your attorney will ask questions about your conditions, your limitations, your medical history, and your work history. There might also be a doctor or job expert there for the judge or your attorney to get information from. This is a good thing.
The hearing is a chance to become a person to go in and say “this is me, and this is why I can not work.” Claimants should look at this as an opportunity rather than a challenge. Talk to your attorney and then go and tell the Judge what it’s like.
