What happens at a Social Security disability or SSI disability hearing?

That’s the opportunity for the administrative law judge to ask you, the claimant, questions about your medical history and about your education, and about your employment history, and to obtain information regarding your credibility. It’s also a chance for the vocational expert to testify about your qualifications and about whether or not you can return to past employment, or can you obtain employment in the national economy in the future. And at that point, the attorney is given a chance to cross-examine the vocational expert. Also, provide and bring up information of the claimant that is beneficial to the case. It usually takes about an hour, hour and a half, and sometimes the judges will rule right on the record at the hearing. Or, other times they will take it under advisement and you don’t hear for several months until the favorable decision is issued. (silence)