WHO HELPS YOU AT A DISABILITY HEARING?

The only person allowed to help you when you attend a Social Security disability hearing is your advocate or attorney. If you go alone there will be no one to help you.

 The Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) presides over the hearing.  He or she is a finder of fact but is not allowed to advocate for you or try to help you win your benefits.  In fact, many claimants express the opinion that the judge seemed to be looking for ways to deny the claim.  At best, the judge is a skeptical, impartial investigator who asks hard questions and demands airtight evidence.

 The vocational expert will provide expert testimony about your past work and about other work that is available in the national economy.  This testimony certainly may hurt your chance of approval, especially if you don't know how to question the testimony.

 There is an empty chair right beside you at a hearing.  That chair is for your attorney, who should be sitting at your right side.  If that chair is empty...you are on your own.








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