There is a good chance that you are going to be nervous when you appear and testify at your Social Security disability hearing.
However, the news is not all bad – in fact, Social Security hearings are a lot less stressful than other types of court.
First, your hearing won’t take that long. Most of the time, disability hearings last about 45 minutes to an hour. Your testimony will only take up around 30 minutes.
Second, unlike other court proceedings there is only one lawyer there – your lawyer. Social Security does not send an attorney or representative to question you. Instead, most of the questions you will be asked will come from your lawyer. The judge may ask you some questions as well but you do not have to fear being cross examined by a hostile opposing counsel.
Third, the subject of the hearing is something you know about more than any one – the medical problems that prevent you from working full time.
Smart claimants take advantage of their lawyers’ expertise. At Ginsberg Law, for example, I will meet with you two to three weeks prior to the hearing to practice the questions that will be asked and to prepare for the judge assigned to your case.
My guiding principal is: “no surprises.” In our prehearing meeting I will ask you all of the questions you are likely to face and I will help you prepare answers that accurately and completely answer those questions.
The more prepared you are, the less nervous you will be and the better results we will have.
In the video below I talk about questions that you will almost certainly hear at your hearing. I hope you find it helpful.
