When it is time for a disability hearing, it is normal for claimants to be a bit nervous – or even quite nervous. For many people, it can be their first experience in a courtroom in front of a judge and with attorneys. Social security disability hearings in Milwaukee aren’t quite like the courtroom dramas you have seen on television. In fact, the good news is that most of them are very casual, even friendly events where you will have the opportunity to explain to the judge exactly why you aren’t able to work. Once your social security disability attorney in Milwaukee and the judge have covered some procedural matters, you will be sworn in so that your testimony is given under oath. Sometimes judges will allow your attorney to question you first, but most judges opt to ask the questions themselves.
What Questions Will I Be Asked as Part of My Social Security Disability Hearing?
The first questions your judge will ask will be on basic information – your address, your height and weight, your marital status, and your work history. Since the judge has seen your application and related materials, he or she will have a pretty good idea of where you have worked in the past 15 years, but the judge will be looking for more details: what your exact responsibilities and duties were, how much walking you would do, and how much weight you’d be expected to lift. The judge will use this information to determine whether you will be able to return to previous work.
Next, the judge will ask why you believe you are disabled. This is usually the longest part of the disability hearing, and will cover a wide array of topics. The judge will ask about symptoms, the specific reason you stopped working on your last date worked, the types of treatment you have sought, or the treatments you have not sought, why you chose the medical care that you did, and whether treatment has been effective in helping you.
Do you have questions about your social security disability hearing? Contact Tabak Law, LLC today!
As a claimant, you should also be ready to answer questions about what you are doing now on a daily basis, if there are any limitations in your daily life which impair your ability to function around the home or in your daily life. Some questions can get a bit personal, so be prepared for that, but don’t worry if you need to take your time to form an answer. Sometimes, a judge will ask specific things about conversations you held with your doctors. Your social security disability attorney in Milwaukee will assist you in reviewing all the relevant records during the meeting.
Then, then the judge is finished, your attorney will be given the opportunity to ask you some follow-up questions, allowing you to elaborate on earlier answers, or to make the judge aware of facts or information that may not have been covered in previous questions.
Remember: Your Doctor Will Write Down Everything You Say
In disability cases, it is common for them to involve back pain, leg pain, or similar chronic pain or injuries. In all of these cases, evidence such as MRIs and x-rays can help to ensure that you get a favorable decision at your social security disability hearing in Milwaukee. However, in the case that a claimant seems to be in more pain than imaging would imply, then the administrative law judge will consider some other aspects of your medical records.
This is the area where a comment made to your doctor, even an off-hand one, can make or break your social security disability claim in Milwaukee. For instance, if you suffer from back pain, and you mention to your doctor that you were moving furniture, this can be interpreted as being very difficult, strenuous labor, when in reality it was only moving a small table. In cases like this, it is very important to remember to be accurate while talking to your doctor. Tell him or her precisely what you were doing. Sometimes, claimants will mention to doctors that they are working while seeking social security disability benefits in Milwaukee, and go on to deny working before the judge.
A conflicting story is one of the worst things you can do for your credibility as a claimant. Moreover, something like this isn’t even worth lying about, as the Social Security Administration allows applicants to work part-time while their application is pending.
On the other hand, providing good information to your doctor can be very helpful to your case, as long as the information is accurate. For example, a claimant who has side effects from medication for pain such as dizziness, drowsiness, or other symptoms, telling your doctor will ensure that they have a place in your medical records, which can be very helpful to your case as opposed to merely mentioning it to the judge at your social security disability hearing.
For those seeking social security disability benefits, it is best to think of your doctor as a journalist for a newspaper – anything that you say can, and will, appear in print – so it is essential that you are truthful, accurate, and provide as much information as you can in order to ensure the best possible chance for success at your social security disability hearing in Milwaukee.
If you think you are entitled to social security disability payments in Milwaukee, you should consult an experienced and knowledgeable social security disability attorney in order to ensure that you have the highest possible chance of success. The process of getting approved for SSD benefits can be long and complicated, so the earlier you consult one of the attorneys at Tabak Law in Milwaukee, the better. Our attorneys have the knowledge and experience with all kinds of Social Security Disability cases in Milwaukee, including Supplemental Security Income cases, and will work with you every step of the way to make sure that your disability case goes as smoothly and as quickly as possible.
Consult with a Milwaukee Attorney to Discuss Your Social Security Disability Hearing
Don’t wait for a social security disability hearing date, or even for a doctor’s appointment. If you think you are entitled to disability payments, contact Tabak Law now.