The question of who decides whether a person is disabled for purposes of receiving social security disability is one that is often asked when a person applies for social security disability benefits. A social security disability claim is eventually assigned to a medical adjudicator at the Disability Determinations Office. That person reviews medical evidence and eventually makes a decision of whether or not the person is disabled. If the claim is denied and the person is found not to be disabled, then the next step is a reconsideration appeal. At the reconsideration level, a new medical adjudicator will be assigned to review the appeal and the medical evidence. If the reconsideration is denied, the next step is an appeal for a hearing. At that stage in the process, a federal social security administrative law judge will be assigned to review the medical evidence, apply the correct law, hear the claimant's testimony and consider the attorney's arguments at a formal hearing.

You have waited a long time for your Social Security Disability Hearing and now you are wondering what the court hearing will be like. Your hearing will be held before a United States Social Security Administration Administrative Law Judge. The administrative law judge or ALJ is a highly qualified judge who is knowledgeable in the federal social security regulations and how to apply them to the facts of your case. The administrative law judge will review your medical records before the hearing and will be familiar with the reasons you have applied for social security disability benefits. Your court date will be your opportunity to help the judge understand your symptoms and limitations. Your social security disability hearing will be your chance to tell the judge what your daily life is like. At your social security disability hearing, you will testify about your various medical conditions, the symptoms you are having and how those symptoms limit your day to day functioning. At your social security disability hearing, you will also testify about how your medical conditions limited your ability to continue your past work and whether you are able to return to any other work. The judge will place you under oath. They will ask you questions at your social security disability hearing. I, as your attorney, will also ask you questions at your hearing. There will be a vocational expert present at your hearing who will respond to the judge's and my hypothetical questions about whether a person of your age, educational background and past relevant work experience is able to perform your past relevant work or any other work available in substantial numbers in the national economy. Your truthful and honest testimony will be considered by the judge in their decision making. Your hearing testimony will be evaluated along with your medical records and the judge will make findings of credibility and whether your testimony is supported by the medical evidence. The hearing level is much different that the prior administrative levels where your case was evaluated by a social security claims adjudicator. Now your claim is in the hands of an administrative law judge and you will have your chance to tell the judge what you would like them to know about your inability to work. I'll be right there with you! Thanks for the chance to represent you before the assigned judge. Like you, I look forward to our court hearing date.

At the fourth step in the disability evaluation, the social security administrative law judge will consider the applicant’s prior work. The judge will inquire whether the claimant’s condition interferes with their ability to perform the work they did previously. This is where we encounter detailed and often complicated vocational analysis and meet potentially adverse testimony coming from the government retained Vocational Expert. It is not a good idea to cross examine this expert witness alone. I am very skilled in evaluating the testimony of a vocational expert and if it conflicts with the law and medical evidence, I am experienced in legally cross examining that expert in court. If a judge determines that your disability does not interfere with your ability to perform your past relevant work, then your claim will be denied. An appeal contesting this finding can be filed. If your disability does interfere with your ability to perform your previous work, then the judge will proceed to step five in the legal analysis which inquires whether you can perform any other work available in significant numbers in the national economy. Again, this step is a complicated one which requires the testimony of a potentially adverse witness known as the vocational expert who will be present at your hearing. The judge and I will ask that expert witness questions and their opinion about whether you can work will be considered by the judge. I like to discuss the vocational issues of my clients’ cases with them so they understand what will occur at their hearings.

Can a doctor’s letter prove disability? I receive many calls from people applying for social security disability that have obtained a letter from their doctor stating that they are “disabled.” They believe that this letter will win their case or assist them in obtaining social security disability benefits. A letter from a doctor is not sufficient evidence that a person is disabled under the applicable federal regulations. The determination of disability is not a medical determination that can be made by a doctor, but it is a legal determination to be made by a social security disability medical adjudicator or a social security administrative law judge. Whether or not a person is disabled under the social security federal law requires the proper application of law and review of medical evidence. Your doctors' medical records and objective tests are admissible evidence. There are multiple steps involved in proving disability and that you are not able to work because of your medical problems. Obtaining a letter from a doctor that you are disabled or cannot work is not what the federal law considers as dispositive proof of disability. If your doctor is willing to give you such a letter, that is fine and it can be submitted for review, but you should not be led to believe that it will prove you are disabled.

Deciding to Apply for Social Security Disability What can one do when a serious illness or disease strips them of the ability to function normally in the workplace? Are they secure in the notion that someone or something will provide for their needs and those of their family? Can they resort wholly to the government for aid and solace? These queries are not often contemplated by the gainfully employed population in the customary course of their affairs. Often, they are only pondered when one indeed suffers from an impairment or combination of impairments that render them less then effectual or totally ineffectual in the workplace. Those who are unable to meet the demands of the workplace due to injury or illness often believe the only recourse is to seek government assistance by applying for Social Security Disability benefits. As I have said in my previous posts, as I walk alongside my clients in our mutual journey to obtain Social Security Disability benefits, the road can be fraught with obstacles. Thanks for allowing me to travel that road with you. The determination regarding whether one is disabled is not as simplistic as applicants presume. The mere fact they have been diagnosed with an illness is insufficient, no matter how severe the illness is and how many limitations it brings about. The first step in the disability determination involves the claimant’s work situation. The government employed medical disability adjudicators must ascertain whether the claimant is engaged in “substantial gainful activity.” This can be where you will likely encounter your first major stumbling block in your journey where you will have many questions? Can I work and apply? How much can I work? How much can I earn? Do I need to be fired or termination or quit before I apply? I receive many calls with these questions. Please feel free to call me to discuss these questions. Stay tuned to my post about the legally applicable steps in the Social Security Disability claims process.

We continue our journey through the Social Security Disability claims process- Those who are unable to work due to their illnesses or injuries often think it will be quite easy for them to apply for Social Security Disability benefits and receive the benefits from the government. They believe that they have “paid into the system” akin to paying insurance premiums and they are “entitled to” receive the funds they “paid into the system” now in their time of disability. They presume that upon application, they will not encounter roadblocks, detours or pitfalls in their journey. Stay tuned to Attorney Giannet’s posts about these potential roadblocks, detours and pitfalls.