How to describe limitations at a disability hearing?
In the video below Sharon Christie, a social security disability benefits lawyer, answers the question, can to describe limitations at a disability hearing? If you or someone you know is looking to apply for Social Security Disability Benefits contact Sharon Christie Law today. We are a social security disability benefits law firm dedicated to getting you the benefits you deserve.
Official Transcript: How to describe limitations at a disability hearing
Hi, I’m Sharon Christie your nurse attorney for Social Security disability benefits. When you go to a hearing for Social Security disability cases your testimony is extremely important and you will want to make sure that you spend time with your lawyer discussing what will happen at your hearing.
Today I want to talk about one aspect of testimony that you always want to keep in mind. There are certain words that are pretty bad descriptors if you use them at a hearing. Words like not much, sometimes every once in a while, you probably use those words in everyday conversation but you don’t want to use those words at you’re hearing and why is that?
It’s because the judge has to get a really good sense of what problems you have and how they affect your day-to-day. So if the judge says to you if you have for example migraine headaches, how often do you get these headaches and you say oh a lot that doesn’t tell him or her anything. You have to be very specific. I get a headache every day. I get a headache three times a week. I get a headache twice a month whatever the case is for you you want to be exact when the judge says how long does the headache lasts.
You don’t want to say oh well it can last a day. That doesn’t precisely answer the question. I understand and so does the judge that in the example I’m using a headache it can last varying periods of time depending on a lot of factors. So what you want to say to the judge is just that range. So you would answer, well your honor the headache can last from two hours on a good day up to all day or lasting multiple days when the headaches get really bad and then the judge is probably going to ask you all right so how often do you have the two-hour headaches and you tell him or her and how often do you have a headache that lasts for a couple of days and you want to be specific.
Oh, that happens at least twice a month if that’s the case. So my point here is that you always want to be precise in your language at your hearing even though it may not be how you speak day-to-day. Everything in a social security case needs to be quantified. So that the judge can understand how severe your impairments are.
The Path to Social Security Disability Benefits with Sharon Christie Law
Step 1: Understanding Social Security’s Definition of Disabled
The definition of disabled, according to Social Security, is that you have severe limitations from your health problems that keep you from doing any kind of work for at least 12 consecutive months. This is the first thing we look at when evaluating your case. Your diagnosis is just the starting point. To get disability benefits for you, we must prove that your disabling condition causes severe limitations in your day to day activities.
Step 2: Medical Records in Your Disability Case
You must have medical evidence to prove your disability case. The most important evidence is your medical records that show your diagnosis, your symptoms, and your response to treatment.
Step 3: Don’t go it alone: How Sharon Christie Law Can Help You
At Sharon Christie Law, a Social Security Disability Law Firm, we recognize that no one ever plans to get so sick that they have to stop working. When you need to apply for Social Security Disability Benefits we recognize that you will be anxious about the process and whether you can qualify for disability benefits. Our goal at Sharon Christie Law is to help you win your case and give you the financial stability you need! Why work with us?
We do it all for you: At Sharon Christie Law we handle all aspects of the case for you, from preparing and filing your application through the hearing with a judge. We are with you every step of the way. When working with us, you focus on feeling better, and we focus on winning your case.
We return your phone calls: We understand that you have many questions regarding Social Security Disability Benefits. We never want you to wonder what is happening with your case. We are here to answer your questions. All phone calls and emails are returned within 24 hours. That is our promise to you.
We believe in client education: The Social Security Disability process is confusing. We think it is important that you understand each step in the process. So, we created a section on our website that is accessible only to clients. This client’s only section tells you everything you need to know about the disability process.