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General Info
The process of applying for and appealing a denial of Social Security disability benefits can seem intimidating, and there are many complexities of law that can seem confusing or counter-intuitive to the average applicant. An experienced Columbia Social Security disability lawyer can help you through the process, but it is also a good idea to familiarize yourself with some of the issues you will face. One common reason for this is that the Social Security administration may have incomplete medical records on which to base their decision when they’re reviewing your application. Another reason is that without the ability to talk to you in person, decision-makers can’t hear from you directly how your disability affects your daily activities.
Vocational experts (VEs) or medical experts (MEs) may testify, appearing in person, by video teleconferencing, or sometimes by telephone. VEs testify in nearly 60 percent of all hearings. MEs testify in somewhat fewer than 20 percent. Such experts are supposed to be neutral, too, unlike, for example, experts in worker’s compensation or personal injury cases, where everyone expects the experts to take sides. Of course, when a medical expert appears who is used to testifying for insurance companies in worker’s compensation cases, you are not likely to get much help on the case from the ME. Although an ME’s testimony alone can win a case for you (by demonstrating that your impairments meet or equal an impairment found in SSA’s Listing of Impairments), it is less likely that an ME’s testimony will be the sole reason you lose.
Social Security Disability
The process of applying for and appealing a denial of Social Security disability benefits can seem intimidating, and there are many complexities of law that can seem confusing or counter-intuitive to the average applicant. An experienced Columbia Social Security disability lawyer can help you through the process, but it is also a good idea to familiarize yourself with some of the issues you will face.