Disability Judge Questions
What Questions Will the Disability Judge Ask at My Hearing?
In disability benefits appeals hearings, judges ask about your health conditions, about your training and work experience, and about your everyday life and how your medical conditions affect your routines.
Your hearing with a Social Security administrative law judge may be the most important part of your Social Security Disability benefits claim. It’s your only chance to explain personally—not just on application forms—how your health limits your ability to work.
An overwhelming number of people get denials when they first apply for disability benefits, but during disability appeals, approval rates are much higher after hearings with disability judges.
The Social Security Disability lawyers at Levine Benjamin Law Firm have helped over 80,000 people through this process. We know well what questions disability judges ask in benefits hearings. If you have one of our Ohio or Michigan disability lawyers supporting you, we’ll help you prepare for the likely questions you’ll get from the judge.
From applying to appealing, we help you every step of the way.
Get More Answers:
Disability Judge Questions About Your Medical Conditions
The core of any disability benefits claim is having health problems severe enough to force you off work.
Social Security Disability judges will always ask questions about your medical situation, such as:
- When did you receive your diagnosis?
- When did you first have to miss work because of your illness?
- What symptoms do you experience?
- Who are the doctors you’ve seen?
- What treatments have you gotten?
- What medications do you take?
- How has medical treatment affected your impairments?
- What is a typical day like with your health limitations?
- What household chores can you do?
- How often do you need rest?
- How long can you stand and walk?
- How much can you lift?
- How well can you handle objects with your hands?
- How well can you concentrate on tasks?
Disability Judge Questions About Your Education and Work History in Michigan and Ohio
When it’s clear that your health problems are severe, the Social Security Disability judge will want to know how your health affects the kinds of work you have done or could do.
The core requirement of Social Security Disability is that you cannot work because of your impairments, so the judge will ask:
- What level of formal education do you have?
- What training or certifications do you have?
- What was your most recent job?
- What tasks did your job require?
- What were your previous jobs?
- What did you do in those jobs?
- How do your current symptoms stop you from doing your job?
- Are there other jobs your training or education could qualify you for?
- Could you do the tasks required by those other jobs?
- Could you successfully switch to a different kind of job?
It’s important to answer a disability judge’s questions clearly, directly and honestly. Give specific examples. Stay on point. Don’t exaggerate your limitations, but don’t downplay them, either.
When you have a disability hearing coming up with an administrative law judge, a disability attorney from Levine Benjamin can meet with you to go over questions you’ll probably get, explain how to answer, and help you practice.
Contact Levine Benjamin for help preparing for your disability hearing in Michigan or Ohio.