Do you want to practice for your upcoming Social Security disability hearing? I'm a disability lawyer, and these are the questions I always ask my clients whose cases are based on physical limitations. There's no trick here, this is the actual list. Read through it, think about how you'd answer each one honestly, and you'll walk into your hearing far more prepared than most people do.
The basics
Could you please state your name for the record?
How old are you today?
What's the highest grade you completed in school?
When is the last time you worked?
In one sentence, in your own words, why are you no longer able to work?
Lifting, sitting, standing, and walking
How much can you lift comfortably?
Can you lift that just once, or could you do it throughout a day?
How long can you sit at one time in something like an office chair?
Do you ever have to lay down during the day to relieve your symptoms? For how long, and how many times a day?
How long can you stand at one time?
How long can you walk at one time?
Would you have difficulty standing or walking throughout an eight-hour workday?
Your hands and arms
Do you have any issues using your hands?
Do you have trouble with buttons or zippers? What about tying your shoes?
How long can you do activities like writing or typing?
Do you have difficulty reaching overhead for items above your shoulders?
How long can you reach out in front of you?
Assistive devices
Do you use any assistive devices like a cane, a walker, or a brace?
In what circumstances do you use it?
Do you wear the brace all day, or just at specific times?
Daily life at home
What percentage of the chores around the house do you do?
Who helps you with the other chores?
Which chores, specifically, are you doing?
How often do you leave your house for anything other than visits with your medical providers?
Do you need help with self-care — grooming, dressing, shaving, anything like that?
Do you need help feeding yourself or preparing meals?
Do you need anyone to help you with washing or going to the bathroom?
What side effects do you have from your medications?
The last question
Is there anything else about your limitations that we need to know about besides the things we've already discussed?
Then it's, "Thank you so much for your testimony. Your honor, I pass this witness."
Final thought
Those are my standard questions for physical cases. There might be more depending on what's in your particular file, and I'll deviate from the script when a case calls for it. If your case involves mental health conditions, that's a whole different list of questions, I'll cover those separately. But if your claim is about your body, this is what you should be ready for. Use it to practice.
Watch now on TikTok
@bradthomasdisability My Standard Hearing Questions For Physical Disability Cases
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