To understand the impact of your medical condition on your ability to function, the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) will be interested in your daily activities. The specific questions the ALJ or your disability lawyer asks you will depend on your condition. However, most questions focus on the activities that you perform on a daily basis.

In General

The ALJ or your lawyer may ask you questions about your daily routine, including what an average day is like. Describe your day for the judge from the time you get up in the morning until you go to bed at night. Provide specific examples of things you do differently now than when you were able to work.

Personal care

Tell the ALJ if you need help with your personal care, such as bathing, dressing, tying shoelaces, and combing your hair. He or she will also want to know if you need to be reminded to bathe, get dressed, or change clothes.

Household tasks

The ALJ will be interested in how you manage to keep up your home. Are you able to do the cooking, cleaning, shopping, and yard work yourself or do you require assistance? Have you given up on some household chores or do you do them less frequently or less thoroughly than you did before your injury or illness? Consider each of the chores that maintaining your household requires and be prepared to describe how you manage it. Can you finish a household task in a reasonable amount of time? If not, give examples of tasks that take you a long time to complete.

Socializing and leisure activities

The ALJ will want to know what social activities you engage in. For example, are you able to go out to eat, to the movies, sporting events, or church? How often do you visit with family and friends? Do you have problems getting along with people? Are you able to participate in any hobbies? Have you had to give up any hobbies because of your condition?

Your Social Security disability hearing is your chance to meet the ALJ face to face and persuade him or her you are unable to work.

Guidance from a disability lawyer will help ensure that your testimony is effective. Adequate preparation for the hearing is essential to a successful outcome. In my office we spend a good deal of time preparing clients for the hearing, reviewing the types of questions that will be asked at the hearing and making sure that our clients feel comfortable with the process.

For more information about Social Security disability claims, order a FREE copy of my book, Unofficial Guide to Social Security Disability Claims.

If you need help with your disability claim, contact my office today at 410-823-8200.

Many impairments, both physical and mental, can inhibit a person’s ability to travel. Your ability to travel is one factor that the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) may consider in your case.

Traveling in general

ALJs often ask claimants how they got to the hearing. Other common questions include how often you left your home during the past month, where you went, and whether you went alone or with someone.

Driving

You will be asked questions about your ability to drive, such as whether you have a license or a handicapped parking permit. If your condition prevents you from driving, be prepared to explain why. If you drive, the ALJ will be interested in how often you drive, and how far you can drive before needing to stop for a rest. You should describe any difficulties you have with driving such as getting in and out of the car, turning your head while driving, looking behind you when you back up, and using your hands, arms, and legs. The ALJ will also want to know about whether you frequently get lost, forget where you are going, or feel confused, nervous or afraid while driving. If you are unable to drive, the ALJ will want to know how you get around.

Public transportation

The ALJ will be interested in your ability to ride public transportation, especially if you do not drive. For example, are you able to walk to the bus stop, stand while waiting for the bus, and climb into and out of the bus? Can you stand on the bus or do you need to sit? Have you ever gotten lost while riding the bus? Does riding on a bus with strangers make you anxious or fearful?

These are just some of the questions that you may be asked at your hearing.

If you need help with your disability claim, contact my office today at 410-823-8200.

At your Social Security disability hearing, your disability lawyer or the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) will ask you questions about your physical restrictions and limitations. Many job duties require an employee to lift, carry, bend, push, pull and manipulate objects. Thus, the ALJ must consider whether you are capable of these tasks.

Lifting and carrying

If your condition restricts your ability to lift and carry, you want to describe your limitations. The ALJ will want to know how much weight you can lift and carry if you had to do it frequently (up to two-thirds of a work day) or occasionally (up to one-third of a workday). You may be asked what objects you could lift in the past but can no longer manage. Be prepared to describe what happens to you if you overdo it by lifting or carrying too much weight.

Postural limitations

Postural limitations include restrictions in your ability to bend, twist, stoop, kneel, or crouch. They also include difficulties climbing stairs and ladders. If you have any of these problems, describe them to the ALJ at your hearing. Be prepared to explain what happens if you overdo any of these activities.

Manipulative limitations

If you have problems using your fingers, hands, and arms, be prepared to describe them at your hearing. Can you reach in all directions, including overhead? Can you hold objects in your hands? Do you frequently drop things? Can you manipulate small items with your fingers? Can you do repetitive hand activities for most of an eight-hour working day? Can you push or pull levers? Are you able to use tools, such as screw drivers and hammers? Tell the ALJ about the day-to-day activities that are affected by your limitations. For example, can you open a jar? Turn a door knob? Button clothing? Pick up coins? Write with a pen or pencil?

Your testimony at your disability hearing is crucial to prove you are disabled. A disability attorney can guide you so that you can provide the strongest testimony possible. Adequate preparation for the hearing is essential to a successful outcome. In my office we spend a good deal of time preparing clients for the hearing, reviewing the types of questions that will be asked at the hearing and making sure that our clients feel comfortable with the process.

I invite you to order a FREE copy of my book, Unofficial Guide to Social Security Disability Claims by clicking on the image in the right column on this page.  If you need help with your disability claim, contact my office today at 410-823-8200.

During your Social Security disability hearing, the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) will evaluate your residual functional capacity or RFC. Residual functional capacity is a measure of what work-related physical tasks you are capable of performing on a full-time basis. Your abilities to sit, stand, and walk are important aspects of your RFC. Limitations on these functions are likely to have a significant impact on the jobs that you can do. In answering questions about your physical abilities, consider what you are capable of doing for eight hours a day, five days a week, 50 weeks a year.

Standing

If you have problems standing, your disability lawyer or the ALJ will ask you how long you can stand continuously in one stretch and how long you can stand during an eight-hour working day. You may also be asked if you can stand without leaning against something and in a position that allows you to work with your arms extended, neck bent forward, and hands available to manipulate objects.

Be prepared to offer specific examples of your standing limitations and how they have affect your day-to-day activities. For example, can you stand long enough to prepare a meal, or do the dishes? Can you wait in line to buy coffee or movie tickets? Can you stand for long enough to wait for a bus?

Walking

If you have walking limitations, expect to be asked how long and how far you can walk continuously in one stretch without stopping to rest and for how much of an eight hour day can you walk. The ALJ will want to know if you can walk at a normal speed and whether you need a crutch, cane, or walker. Be prepared to offer specific examples of your walking limitations. For example, can you walk up and down the aisles at the grocery store? Are you able to walk to the mail box, bus stop, or around the neighborhood?

Adequate preparation for the hearing is essential to a successful outcome. In my office, we spend a good deal of time preparing clients for the hearing, reviewing the types of questions that will be asked at the hearing and making sure that our clients feel comfortable with the process.

Testifying About Your Symptoms:

During your Social Security disability hearing, you will be asked about your medical problems and the symptoms that you have. These questions are intended to provide additional information to the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) about how your symptoms affect your ability to perform work-related activities and to hold down a full-time job.

One common symptom that can be disabling is shortness of breath.

If your medical condition causes shortness of breath, you should be able to answer the following:

1. What causes your shortness of breath? Shortness of breath may be due to a variety of reasons such as heart problems, asthma, COPD, allergies, exertion, and panic attacks, to name a few. You may be asked about whether you suffer from respiratory infections and how often you get them.
2. Describe the feeling of being short of breath. Do you feel like a heavy weight is on your chest? Like you have been running? Like your chest is burning or about to burst? Like you are choking? When you breathe, do you wheeze?
3. How does your shortness of breath limits you physically? How far and how fast you can walk before you have trouble breathing? How many stairs can you climb? Do you need to sleep sitting up? Expect to be asked how often you experience acute episodes of shortness of breath and what brings them on.
4. Does dust, pollen, heat, or fumes make your breathing more difficult?
5. How would your shortness of breath impact your ability to function at work? For example, would you need unscheduled breaks? How frequently would you need them and during the breaks, would you need to sit or lie down?

Your testimony about your symptoms is very important. Adequate preparation for the hearing is essential to a successful outcome. In my office we spend a good deal of time preparing clients for the hearing, reviewing the types of questions that will be asked at the hearing and making sure that our clients feel comfortable with the process.

For more information about Social Security disability claims, order a FREE copy of my book, Unofficial Guide to Social Security Disability Claims. (a link to order your copy is to the right, on this page)

If you need help with your disability claim, contact my office today at 410-823-8200.