Social Security Disability Hearing Lawyer Nationwide
Approximately 70% of the disability benefit applications received each year by the Social Security Administration result in a denial of the claim. If you have been denied Social Security Disability Insurance benefits, you can appeal the decision.
The disability hearing could be an important stage in the appeal process for you as a claimant. According to the Social Security Administration, about half of the appeals taken to the hearing level result in an outcome favorable to the claimants. When you have so much at stake, it makes sense to contact the team of disability professionals at The Keener Law Firm for skillful and experienced representation at your disability hearing.
Challenging A Denial of Benefits
Giving up should not be your first reaction when notified that your application for SSDI disability benefits was denied. The Social Security Disability appeal process provides you with a chance to fight for approval of benefits, including monthly payments and medical coverage that could make a difference in your life.
The Appeal Process Has the Following Four Levels:
- Reconsideration: A review of your claim by an examiner who was not involved in making the original determination about your claim.
- Disability hearing: If you disagree with the result of your request for reconsideration, you may appeal it to the hearing level. An administrative law judge decides after reviewing the evidence.
- Appeals Council review: Decisions at the hearing level may be appealed to the Appeals Council, which has the authority to decline to review the decision by an ALJ, agree to review it and let the decision stand, reject the hearing decision and issue a new one, or send the case back to the hearing level for further action.
- Federal court review: If you disagree with the decision of the Appeals Council, it may be challenged by filing a lawsuit to have the case reviewed by a federal judge.
A disability hearing gives your disability attorney the chance to submit new evidence in the form of documents, as well as the testimony of witnesses to strengthen your claim for SSDI benefits. It also provides you with the opportunity to testify and explain how the physical or mental impairments associated with your disabling medical condition affect your life, including your ability to work.
Requesting Disability Hearing
When the Social Security Administration makes a decision that you disagree with, you have 60 days from receipt of the notice of the decision to appeal. If reconsideration does not yield the result you want, contact Keener Law immediately to speak with a disability lawyer. You have 60 days to appeal by requesting a disability hearing but contacting us sooner rather than later reduces the risk of missing the deadline.
What to Expect at a Disability Hearing?
SSDI hearings can be held at a local Social Security office, by phone, or via video conference. In-person hearings are held in offices or small conference rooms with the administrative law judge and an assistant. A recording device creates an audio record of what is said during the hearing, including hearings conducted by telephone or by video conferencing.
The ALJ may request that medical and vocational experts appear at the hearing to provide testimony to aid the judge in making a decision. Your disability lawyer may cross-examine the witnesses called by the ALJ and present other witnesses on your behalf.
The judge and your disability attorney from The Keener Law Firm may ask you questions that generally focus on the impact of your condition on your ability to do daily activities, including those related to work.
The evidence presented at the hearing, including your own testimony, along with the evidence already in your case file at the Social Security Administration, is used by the ALJ to decide the appeal. It could be several weeks or months before a copy of the ALJ’s decision is sent to you and your representative.
Benefits Of Having Legal Representation At An SSD Hearing
Representation by a disability attorney from The Keener Law Firm gives you a significant advantage over attempting to represent yourself. Our disability attorney puts years of experience toward aggressively fighting for the disability disability benefits you need when you cannot work because of a disabling medical condition.
A few of the reasons for having a disability lawyer represent you at a Social Security Disability hearing include:
- Your lawyer reviews the Social Security file in preparation for the hearing and decides on additional evidence to gather and present to strengthen your claim.
- Your lawyer works closely with your medical providers to ensure that your records are up to date, complete, and available for the ALJ.
- Disability attorneys know how to question witnesses we present on your behalf and cross-examine other witnesses to elicit evidence supporting your claim.
- Lawyers prepare a hearing brief to present to the ALJ in advance of the hearing date. The brief contains arguments based on the law and evidence as to why you should be approved to receive disability benefits.
It’s normal for you to be nervous about testifying at a hearing, but the disability team at Keener Law works with you before the hearing to prepare you for questioning by the ALJ. We work with you to ensure that you feel confident and at ease throughout the hearing process.
Contact Keener Law Today for More Information
If you think you cannot afford to have experienced legal representation fighting for you at a disability hearing, contact The Keener Law Firm. We work for you under a contingency fee arrangement, so you do not pay a legal fee until you win the benefits you need and deserve.
Instead of trying to take on the Social Security disability system on your own, let a seasoned disability attorney aggressively fight for you. There is too much at stake, so contact The Keener Law Firm today for a free consultation and claim evaluation.