If you have sustained a disability and require disability benefits, the Social Security Administration (SSA) requires that you present your case in court to an Administrative Law Judge. Rather than representing yourself and risking a judge denying your disability claim, hiring a lawyer to represent you and present your case to the judge greatly increases your chances of being approved. If you’re a North Carolina resident in need of disability benefits, Lewis & Keller has a skilled Social Security disability lawyer in Greensboro to represent you and help you make your case.
Lawyers Know How to Question Expert Witnesses
The SSA’s regulations are complex and many times require expert witnesses such as medical experts and vocational experts to testify at your hearing. A medical expert can attest to the severity of your disability based on your medical records, so if the SSA has not called on a medical examiner to testify, your lawyer has the right to request that one be presented. In order for the judge to declare you disabled, your disability needs to fulfill specific requirements detailed in the SSA’s Listing of Impairments. Legal training allows your lawyer to determine whether the medical expert’s testimony is fair, accurate, and contains enough evidence to fulfill the requirements listed in the Listing of Impairments.
A vocational expert testifies whether or not you can continue to perform your previous work duties and if there are any jobs that you are able to perform with your disability. The vocational expert’s opinion regarding your capability to perform at any job despite your disability is one of the main deciding factors in the judge’s final ruling. Your lawyer has the right and the knowledge to cross-examine the expert witnesses, object to both the judge and the witness when appropriate and determine if the expert witnesses have accurately considered and interpreted all of the available evidence.
Lawyers Can Work With Your Personal Doctors
The presiding judge is generally required by the SSA to give greater weight to your treating doctor’s opinion than the opinions of other doctors. Lawyers know how to work with your doctor to craft a letter that contains all the necessary legal and medical requirements to further your case. Alternatively, lawyers are also able to compile a set of questions for your doctor to fill out that would also provide sufficient details regarding your disability.
Lawyers Understand the Local Judges
In addition to the usefulness of a lawyer’s legal training, they are also able to help your case in more personal ways, such as understanding the methods your local Administrative Law Judge. Even if you feel comfortable with your own amount of legal and medical knowledge, you may not be familiar with the judge assigned to your case. Your lawyer is likely well acquainted with the local judges and therefore can tailor your case to their particular methods and biases. If a certain judge fails to ask certain questions or is particularly tough on certain claimants, your lawyer’s understanding of these factors can make a difference in winning or losing your case.
As soon as you know that you will be required to appear in court before an Administrative Law Judge, contact a local Social Security disability lawyer in Greensboro for representation.
Reach out to a Social Security Disability Lawyer in Greensboro
Lewis & Keller has over two decades of experience fighting for the rights of North Carolinians. If you are seeking disability benefits and are preparing to appear before a judge, consider a qualified social security disability lawyer in Greensboro from our office. Contact us online or call 336-728-6284 for a free case evaluation.
