Everyday People Matter
A government watchdog report is asking an important question – Does the Social Security Administration’s expectation that judges resolve a minimum number of cases every year place an unfair burden on the administrative law judges who oversee disability hearings? A...
A disability hearing is one of the most critical stages in your appeals process. While it is not required that you attend in person, it could be critically important that you do so. So yes, you have to attend your disability hearing. Remember that the disability hearing gives you face to face interaction with key persons who will decide the…
At a typical disability hearing, you can expect plenty of questions about your medical condition, the treatment you are undergoing and other medical and health-related aspects of your case. It’s very important to be absolutely certain about the kind of limitations your condition places on you. Being vague, or sounding uncertain at a disability hearing, could prove disastrous for your…
The Social Security disability hearing is the most important stage in your benefits claim process. It’s important to be prepared for your disability hearing, so that you can give appropriate answers to the questions asked. You can expect the administrative law judge (ALJ) in charge of your hearing to ask you several questions about your medical condition. You will be…
If your Social Security disability benefits claim is denied, you have the right to file an appeal. It is very important to do this because many claims are denied initially, but are approved at the appeals stage. The disability hearing will play a very important role in the appeals process. A hearing takes place before an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ),…
As of December 2012, the Social Security Administration had 1,566 administrative law judges on its roster. That is a few judges more than the initially stated goal of more than 1500 judges. In 2009, the Social Security Administration had a severe shortage of administrative law judges, with just 1000 judges. The increased number of administrative law judges who are now…
Thousands of Social Security applicants, who had their disability claims denied, may have their claims re-heard. That will likely happen under the terms of a settlement of a class-action lawsuit that accused several administrative law judges of bias. The lawsuit alleged that at least 5 administrative law judges in the Queens Social Security office in New York City had presided…