How to prepare for a Social Security hearing

Having to file for Social Security Disability (SSD) benefits is a difficult time in your life. You were likely injured on the job, or were diagnosed with an illness that prevents you from working. What can make matters worse is when your initial claim is denied. You do have the right to appeal and will need to attend a hearing. Here are some tips on how to prepare for the hearing.

This might seem like an obvious tip, but you need to answer the question that has been asked. Many people hurt their chances at securing benefits by failing to answer a question properly or completely refusing to answer. Be open and honest with the judge, and you should not have any problems.

Do not go on a long tangent or continue to ramble in your answer. Provide the judge with as clear and concise answer to all questions as possible. A judge will be able to notice when you are rambling and trying to pull at strings to make your answer sound better than it is.

Be as specific as possible when describing your pain. If you have back problems, use descriptive words like burning, tingling, dull, shooting or any other word that explicitly describes the pain you are suffering.

You also need to explain, explicitly to the judge, how limited you are in your daily life since suffering the injury or being diagnosed with the illness. If you used to be able to vacuum your home for 30 minutes at a time and can only do so for five minutes since suffering the injury, let the judge know this.

Preparing for a Social Security Disability hearing should be done with the help of an experienced attorney. You will face a slew of questions by the judge and how you answer the questions can make or break your chances of securing benefits from the Social Security Administration.