It seemed like a slam dunk case.
You filed a claim with the Social Security Administration (SSA) to receive financial assistance for suffering from chronic anemia. The medical condition severely limits your ability to perform on the job, which has led to fewer hours and a dramatic loss of income. However, the SSA returned your application for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) denied, and now you wonder how you are going to make financial ends meet.
The answer is by requesting an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) hearing.
Overview of an ALJ Hearing
The American criminal justice system allows defendants to file appeals to overturn convictions. An ALJ hearing operates in a similar matter, as the legal process gives SSDI claimants a second chance to persuade the judge presiding over the case that they deserve compensation for suffering from chronic anemia.
If the SSA denied your SSDI application, you should know that you are not alone. The SSA denies nearly two-thirds of all SSDI applications for a number of reasons. The most common reason for denial is claimants do not present enough convincing evidence.
The time that passes between when you received notice of your denied SSDI claim and an ALJ hearing is the time to gather more evidence to boost your claim. An ALJ hearing starts with the judge presiding over your case delivering a summary of your SSDI claim. Then, it is your turn to present more evidence than what you submitted with your SSDI application.
An ALJ hearing represents the ideal venue to ask medical experts to provide testimony on your behalf. When you filed for SSDI, you attached medical documents to back your claim. A live administrative law hearing allows you to add a more personal touch to your evidence by having your disability attorney ask medical experts relevant questions.
Follow a Few Tips to Win Your Appeal
Before you attend an ALJ hearing, send the judge overseeing the case a legal brief that outlines the evidence you plan to submit during the hearing. A legal brief provides the judge with the important information he or she needs to evaluate your claim properly. With your legal brief in hand, the judge asks questions that are related to your unique situation. Another tip to prepare for an ALJ hearing is to participate in at least one mock question and answer session with your Social Security lawyer.
Your attorney asks questions that cover why you lost your job, as well as how chronic anemia has diminished the quality of your life. If you failed to submit documents that confirm the amount of income lost because of chronic anemia, make sure to submit bank statements and copies of your paychecks at the ALJ hearing.
Attend the ALJ Hearing with a Disability Attorney
Many SSDI applicants go it alone when they file their claims. They collect and send medical documents, as well as complete all the paperwork required by the SSA. If you request an ALJ hearing, you need to come to the hearing supported by the legal advice offered by a state-licensed Social Security disability lawyer.
Your attorney handles all of the legal maneuvers at an ALJ hearing that includes the questioning of witnesses testifying in your favor. Most disability attorneys work on a contingency fee basis, which means they get paid when clients get paid.
Schedule a free case evaluation today with an experienced disability lawyer.
