Posts under ‘3 Hearings’

I went to my Social Security hearing. But, the Judge did not say if she was going to find me disabled or not. When do I get my decision?!?

As you personally experienced, in most Social Security cases, the judge does not rule on your case at your hearing. In Colorado, I only [...]

I enjoyed attorney Gordon Gates‘ article about knowing who your judge is in your Social Security case:
The first thing I want to know when I receive a hearing notice for a Social Security disability claim is the name of the administrative law judge (ALJ) who will hear the case and decide the claim. It probably [...]

You finally got the decision on your Social Security case and it says… “Partly Favorable.”
This does not mean that you are “partly disabled.” Usually, it means one of the following:

The Judge found you disabled, but not as far back as you wanted; or
The Judge is approved a “closed period” of disability: that you [...]

My last article talked about why it is so important to review your Social Security exhibit file.
But how do I get a copy of my Social Security file?
If you already have a hearing scheduled, Social Security will tell you in the Notice of Hearing that you should arrive thirty minutes before your hearing and you [...]

Wouldn’t you like to know what Social Security really thinks about your claim? The best way to find out is to review your Social Security exhibit file.
Everything Social Security has on your claim for disability benefits is contained in the “exhibit file.” This includes medical records, statements of limitations, notes from Social Security’s technicians, [...]

Social Security has a great website that describes the hearing process including how to file an appeal, what happens at a hearing, and how to file a complaint if you feel you have been mistreated by an Administrative Law Judge.

Another blog recently wrote that if you go to your hearing without an attorney, the judge will assume you have no case, won’t treat you with respect, and is more likely to deny you.
Not surprisingly, they are trying to sell you their legal services.
Now, I certainly think getting an attorney is a good idea.

Statistically, your [...]

DisabilityAppeal.com has a interesting article on the importance of requesting the hearing tape if you are denied at hearing.
In many instances, once the tapes are obtained and listened to, parts of the record will be inaudible. And in a lot of cases [Social Security] can’t produce the tapes at all because they have been purportedly [...]

The Social Security Disability Blog got me thinking about some of the questions I have heard Judges ask at hearings.
It is fairly common to be asked the following questions during a Social Security hearing:

How long can you sit?
How long can you stand?
How far can you walk?
How much can you carry?

Be careful, your answers might get [...]