Testifying at Your Own Disability Hearing
Your testimony at your disability hearing can have a huge impact on whether you are awarded Social Security disability benefits. It can also be a very stressful and nerve wrecking experience. Your Oklahoma City disability attorney knows that preparation is both the key to success and the key to a less stressful experience in testifying at your hearing.
Preparation Is Key
Successfully preparing for a disability hearing involves knowing the facts of your case and being familiar with the types of questions the administrative law judge may ask you. As such, your Oklahoma City disability attorney will meet with you before your disability hearing to go over the types of questions the judge will typically ask claimants. Your lawyer will prepare you to honestly answer these questions with as much clarity and detail as possible.
Non-Bearing Types of Questions Asked
Some of the questions that the judge may ask you will not have anything to do with your disability claim. And your answer will not have a great bearing on the judge’s ultimate decision.
Nevertheless, although your answer to these non-bearing questions may not have a direct effect on your case, the way you answer the question and your demeanor will. Your Oklahoma City disability attorney will advise you that what matters is how you answer these questions, not just the information you provide.
Some examples of non-bearing questions the administrative law judge may ask include:
- Background, age, education, vocational training.
- Whether you finished high school.
- What is your native language, whether you fluently speak English, where were you educated, who reads your mail, etc.
- Literacy questions.
When you know the facts of your case and can anticipate the types of questions the judge will ask, you are adequately prepared. And when you are prepared, you will be able to provide the judge with the information he or she is looking for to make an informed decision.
Contact Us
If you have been given a disability hearing date, it is imperative that you consult with an Oklahoma City disability attorney who can properly prepare your for this important hearing.
