If you have applied for Social Security disability benefits and been rejected, an Ocala disability attorney may be able to help you through the appeal process. This is what happens what you file an appeal for a hearing by the Social Security Administration:
The hearing takes place before an Administrative Law Judge, whose role is neutral and non-adversarial. There will not be a lawyer from the Social Security Administration representing the other side. The agency’s role is not to try to prove that you are not disabled, but to provide benefits to those who are genuinely disabled and reject those who are not. At the hearing stage, the ALJ will be the one who determines whether you meet the requirements for disability under the Social Security Act. ALJs approve the claims of 60 percent of those who appeal their rejections to the hearing level, although some have higher approval rates than others.
Your Ocala disability attorney will be responsible for preparing and gathering any relevant medical records and documentary evidence before the hearing, preparing and presenting the testimony of expert medical witnesses or other witnesses helpful to your case, and examining witnesses summoned by the ALJ. An experienced Ocala disability attorney will not treat the judge as someone to be argued with, but will present your case with the law and the facts, and answer questions posed by the judge about your case. A good judge will ask questions and give your attorney a chance to respond for you, rather than keep his concerns and problems to himself.
If you have more questions about what to expect at your Social Security disability hearing, contact Ocala disability attorney CJ Henry for a free consultation.
