A Lawrence Social Security Disability Attorney on How the Process Generally Works
A question a client frequently has for a Lawrence Social Security disability attorney centers around the order of the events during a hearing.
Often judges will start a hearing for Social Security disability benefits by giving a history of the claim as well as the issues that the hearing will be deciding upon. Commonly, the judge will say what you and your Lawrence Social Security disability lawyer must prove.
The judge’s explanation is rarely simple regarding what your Lawrence Social Security disability lawyer must prove. The are unlikely to explain what must be proven in simple terms. In general, they will say that you must prove that you cannot perform substantial gainful activity of which there are a significant number of jobs available. This takes into account how old you are and what experience you have.
The Judge Will Ask Questions
The judge might begin by asking you questions. Then your Lawrence Social Security disability attorney will be given the opportunity to question you. In other situations, the judge might not ask any questions and leave it to the attorney. It is important to answer the questions thoroughly.
Disability hearings are not mysterious, and should not cause you undue anxiety; after all, it is not an adversarial situation as, say, a trial would be. That said, you will want to be at your best and follow the advice of your attorney.
Contact an Experienced Attorney
If you have questions regarding the usual process of a hearing, a Lawrence Social Security disability attorney can help. Call Gerard A. Palma at 888-295-4955 today.


There is no ironclad schedule for a disability hearing and decision. Across the nation, the average amount of time it takes from the time the hearing is requested to decision is 15.5 months. After the hearing is concluded, the judge might issue a bench decision. If not, it generally takes between two and three months for the decision to be given. Your Lawrence disability lawyer will tell you that if you are to receive benefits, it could take one to two months for you to begin receiving regular payments and one to six months to get back payments.
When you enter the hearing room, it will not be a large courtroom like you might see for other legal matters. Rather, it will be a small conference room with a table for you, your attorney, witnesses, and the judge’s assistant. The judge will have his own desk that is slightly higher than the conference table.