A great many things will be reviewed at your Social Security disability hearing. These include your age, education, past work and medical conditions. Of all these factors, I think the most crucial is the medical record.
Here's what I look for in the medical record:
1). Is it complete? Does the judge have records from all of your treating sources, such as doctors, hospitals, clinics, counselors--and in some cases--school records?
2) Are medical records current? Do they include your most recent doctor's visits, hospital admission, ER visit, etc.?
3). Are there objective tests, such as an MRI, CT Scan, X-ray, etc. which clearly show the nature and severity of your impairment?
4) Is there opinion evidence from your doctor? This would be a letter or form from the doctor stating what your specific restrictions and limitations are and how they would affect the ability to do work-related activities.
5). Is the medical record consistent with the symptoms you report?
Finally, I need to make the claimant aware of what's expected of him or her during the hearing. What type of questions will be asked? What is the best approach to answering questions? What are some of the pitfalls to avoid? Is the judge likely to have concerns from reading the medical records?
Our goal at the hearing is to give the judge, as decision maker, a clear and understandable picture of why the claimant is disabled. We want to answer any concerns or questions the judge may have. Having attended hundreds of hearings helps me to prepare for a smooth hearing. Hopefully, I can help eliminate some of the tension or anxiety the claimant may have when walking into the hearing.
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