A Lowell Social Security Disability Attorney Explains the Hearing
If you are filing a disability claim, a Lowell Social Security disability attorney can walk you through a typical hearing. 
You and your attorney will appear before an administrative law judge, or ALJ, who opens the record and then will confirm that your attorney represents you and state who is present. If you feel intimidated, keep in mind that a typical ALJ will try to make you feel at ease.
The ALJ will make an opening statement, which may or may not contain the following:
- The nature of the hearing, and that the ALJ is not part of the office that denied the claim;
- Explanation that everything will be recorded, and this constitutes as evidence;
- How the hearing will be conducted;
- Your claim history;
- A statement of the issues; and
- Descriptions of any exhibit documents.
Regarding how the hearing will be conducted, the ALJ may include any and all of the following information:
- Only one person will testify at a time;
- All witnesses will be examined under oath;
- All witnesses may be cross-examined;
- The strict evidence rules used in court will not apply here; and
- A reasonable amount of time will be allowed to file briefs or present oral arguments.
Occasionally, the ALJ will ask attorneys to waive reading of the procedural history of your case as well as waiving a reading of the statement of issues. In most cases, the attorneys will agree to waiving these readings.
For more information on what to expect at your appearance in front of an administrative law judge, contact Lowell Social Security disability attorney Gerard A. Palma at 888-295-4955.