Disability Attorney For Appeal Hearing

In the last blog, we talked about how an “on-the-record” decision can save you from having to go to an appeals hearing. For whatever reason, if the OTR decision is denied, your case will then be sent to an appeal hearing where you’ll have to go before an Administrative Law Judge. Although a disability attorney is not required at a Social Security Disability appeal hearing, your chances of winning may be greatly improved.

Legal Representation Can Double Your Chances For Approval

Statistics show that an applicant who has a disability attorney at the hearing level is twice as likely to be approved at the first hearing than a claimant without legal representation. If you get denied at the first hearing, then you will have to go before the Appeals Council, which can take much longer. However, If you are applying for SSI and you are in dire financial straits, a disability attorney can write a letter to the ALJ requesting your hearing date to be scheduled sooner.

A Disability Attorney Will Help You Gather Medical Records

Here is how having a disability lawyer can help you win your disability claim at the initial hearing.

A good disability attorney will contact your physician to obtain all medical records that they feel will bolster your case. You can request the records yourself, but an attorney can typically get them way faster. The disability lawyer will then thoroughly review your records and decide if they should be submitted to the SSA. Beyond that, they request your primary care doctor to give written opinions about your ability to work. Again, doctors tend to respond much faster to an attorney.

Administrative Law Judge & Vocational Expert

At your hearing, the Administrative Law Judge will consider the medical evidence you have put together, along with your testimony, and the testimony of any other witnesses to decide if you are disabled. The ALJ uses your medical records to assess your testimony about your disability, and to formulate questions to pose to the vocational expert. A vocational expert is a consultant hired by the SSA to testify at your hearing. Based on a series of work-related questions the vocational expert asks you, they will determine an opinion about your ability to work for the ALJ to consider.

Don’t Be Nervous; A Good Disability Attorney Will Prepare You

There is a good chance that you may be nervous at your first hearing because it is a totally unfamiliar arena for you to be in. A disability attorney will tell you what to expect and prepare you to answer questions that may be presented to you at the hearing. Most likely, your lawyer will practice going over questions the judge might ask and helping you develop answers that will serve as your testimony. This way, you can clearly relay the specifics of your medical impairments to the ALJ.

RGG Law Will Help You Out Every Step Of The Way

If you’re in need of an expert disability lawyer to prepare and guide you through the arduous process of a Social Security Disability hearing, contact RGG Law for a free consultation. As illustrated above, by and large the appeals process is an extremely complicated procedure where every step is crucial to win your case. Gathering all the proper medical records and knowing how to answer the ALJ’s questions are not easy things to do. That is what we’re here for at RGG Law. We will make this difficult period in your life as easy and painless as it can possibly be while saving you time and a lot of stress. Call today to schedule a free consultation and pay after you’ve received your benefits.