Skip to main content

10 WAYS TO RUIN YOUR SSDI DISABILITY HEARING

 

10  Best Ways to Ruin Your Disability Hearing:

1.  Go unprepared--without knowing what to expect and what you have to prove.
2.  Lie or exaggerate your symptoms.
3.  Use medical terms without explaining how your disease affects your ability to work.
4.  Try to convince the judge that you really need the benefits.
5.  Complain about past denials and how unfair they were.
6.  Admit that you sometimes still work under the table.
7.  Tell the judge that no one will hire you (for one reason or another).
8.  Be unable to give the date when you stopped working or became unable to work.
9.  Cry or emotionally break down during the hearing.  It happens but judges hate it and it never helps your case.
10.  Save money and refuse to hire a lawyer to help you.  After all, the lawyer could get 25 percent of your back pay if you win.  No need to get an expert. Save that 25 percent and just assume that you can do as well as any lawyer.

No one can prepare for and represent you at a hearing as well as an experienced attorney or seasoned disability advocate.


The Forsythe Firm in Huntsville represents Social Security disability claimants in Alabama and Tennessee. 25 years experience. No upfront fees. You never pay a fee until you have won your case and received your past due benefits or back pay. We are as close as a phone call: (256) 799-0297.


 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

RED FLAGS IN SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY CASES

  RED FLAGS IN A SOCIAL SECURITY DISABILITY CASE A red flag is something that causes concern or raises a problem in a Social Security disability case.   In short, it’s something that may get the claim denied or cause a big problem. Here are some of the red flags that we see crop up: ·          Work after the alleged onset date (AOD).   Since the process takes so long, many claimants feel that they are forced to return to work for income.   Social Security often sees this as a sign that the claimant is not disabled. ·          Severe substance abuse.   Chronic and frequent abuse of drugs or alcohol can pose problems. ·           A skimpy work record.   A claimant who has worked very little or has jumped from job to job frequently may not have good credibility. ·          Quitting wo...

WHAT YOU WILL BE ASKED AT A DISABILITY HEARING

Most Social Security disability claims will be denied twice:  First at the end of the Application process, and again after the "Reconsideration" process.  The third stop will be a hearing before a federal Administrative Law Judge (ALJ). It is here at the hearing level that most SSDI claims are paid.  So, what do you need to know about your Social Security disability hearing?     First, the judge will follow the rules established by the Social Security Administration.  His or her job is to determine whether you meet the particular laws and rules to receive disability payments.  So, it is a legal proceeding where you must prove certain things in order to get paid. Among the things you must prove:  Your insured status with Social Security:  You have worked recently enough and paid into the Social Security trust fund to gain the required "work credits" to support your claim.  You have a severe medical or mental impairment supported by adequa...

HOW TO COMPLETE A FUNCTION REPORT OR ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING FORM

After you apply for Social Security Disability (SSDI), you will be sent a FUNCTION REPORT to fill out and return.  This form asks a lot of very detailed questions about your daily activities:  driving, cooking, cleaning, dressing, visiting others, hobbies, etc. The Social Security Administration will use your answers to determine whether you can work or not.  You must show on this Function Report that you have limitations that do not permit you to work a full-time job.  You do this by showing your limitations in activities of daily living. Your goal in the Function Report is to show the struggles and challenges you have with everyday life.  It may not be sufficient to answer a question with "Yes" and fail to explain. For example:  "Can you drive?"  If you answer "Yes," Social Security will assume that your ability to drive is unlimited:  you can drive anytime, anywhere and as often or as far as you want.  That may not be true and would need t...