Monday, February 13, 2012

Four Things Social Security Disability Claimants Need to Do During Hearings


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Denials for Social Security disability benefits are unfortunately common – the best way to avoid such scenario is preparation. Applicants for Social Security disability claims are always advised to be prepared beforehand with respect to disability hearings. One way of doing this is to learn the dos and don’ts during disability hearings, this is to ensure that as much as possible, the applicants would avoid getting denied.

Applicants for disability benefits are advised to accomplish the following in order to enhance their chances of getting their claim:

1. Attend the disability hearing on time – Some may think that this is just a menial tip but in reality it is very important. Coming to the hearing late may give an impression to the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) that the applicant does not prioritize his or her claim. The best way to avoid being late in the hearing is to know beforehand the location of the hearing. By doing this, the claimant may arrive ahead of the scheduled hearing.

2. Provide most recent medical records – There are times wherein the ALJ does not have the latest copy of the medical records of the claimant, because of this, it would best for the applicant to have his or her copies handy. If the applicant does not have a social security disability lawyer with him or her, then it is imperative for him or her to secure updated medical records prior to the disability hearing. In case that the ALJ requests for medical records, the “prepared” applicant can conveniently provide copies thus avoiding any inconvenience.

3. Remember all necessary information – Once the ALJ asks the applicant about his or her disability, the latter should confidently and precisely reply. In order to do this, the applicant is advised to bear in mind all necessary information the ALJ may ask. Common questions the ALJ may ask include work history, medical history, the date when the disability occurred, and other related queries.

4. Do not provide fabricated information – It is never a good idea for the claimant to disclose fabricated or false information before the ALJ. Once the ALJ learns that the applicant is coming up with inaccurate information, chances are the claim would be denied. It is also advised for claimants not to resort to exaggeration of disability. Exaggerating the state of the medical condition of the applicant may result in slim chances of getting the claim approved.

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