How to Get Ready for Your Social Security Disability Hearing
If you get a notice that you have a hearing coming up for your Social Security Disability (SSD) claim, that means you’ve already been denied benefits twice — first on your initial application and again on your request for reconsideration.
Health problems forced you out of work. Now the tedious SSD process is standing in the way of the benefits you need to bring stability back to your life.
The idea of going in front of a judge to argue your case is stressful. You probably haven’t spent much time in courts and don’t know what to do.
Makris Law Firm, however, deals with this every day.
What You Need for Your SSD Hearing
Your hearing is your best opportunity to explain why you need SSD benefits — face-to-face with an important decision-maker at Social Security.
Hearings are often where people win benefits.
We highly recommend you get a lawyer to help you, so you go into your hearing prepared — and not alone.
And get a lawyer as soon as you know you have a hearing, allowing as much time as possible to build your strongest case.
The Makris Law Firm team will:
- Review your entire Social Security Disability file
- Get to know you so we fully understand your medical conditions, including any side effects from medications and other health limitations you face
- Prepare your case for a judge to see it
- Gather all the important evidence you need, including detailed medical records
- Help you prepare and get comfortable to testify in front of an ALJ
- Question any witnesses that you bring to your hearing
- Question any medical or vocational experts the government brings in to try to discredit your claim
- Stay in constant communication with you so you’re well informed throughout the entire process
The medical experts and job experts Social Security might bring in to testify about you can hurt your chances of winning benefits. But an experienced attorney can put the focus back on the evidence that helps your case. An attorney can ask them the right questions.
It doesn’t cost you anything to talk to Makris Law Firm about your situation.
Texas Judges Can Be Tough
Another fact to keep in mind is how tough Social Security judges can be in Texas.
Social Security Administration numbers from 2016 show what you’re up against:
- Houston ALJs were only approving benefits SSD benefits 32% of the time in 2016.
- Some Houston ALJs were approving less than 20% of the cases before them and many of them even now approve only 20-30% of their cases.
- The overall approval rate in Texas was 38%, whereas the national average was 44%.
Clearly, if you have a hearing coming up with a Texas SSD judge, you don’t want to go into this alone.
Makris Law Firm has more than 35 years of experience helping people in Texas win Social Security Disability benefits.
Dealing with this system is difficult and unfamiliar to you. But we work with it all the time and fight for our clients’ benefits every day.
Don’t Take Any Chances With Your Social Security Disability Benefits
Since there are no up-front fees, it’s easy to get a lawyer from Makris Law Firm working with you to win you benefits: We don’t charge any attorney fees until you win.
Social Security’s own numbers have also shown that your chances are better with professional representation.