Covid 19 and being in person for Social Security Disability

Since the beginning of  the COVID-19 pandemic I have not help in-person meetings with clients or had any in person hearings. My office continues to conduct work by telephone, e-mail, mail, and by zoom videoconferencing.  I arrange for documents to be dropped off and  I find out door places to meet you for necessary in-person contacts.

Social Security’s offices, including the hearing offices, remain closed for almost all purposes.  Disability hearings have been held by telephone conferences since April 2020. The Social Security Administration has started to roll out a video-conferencing hearing option in which the parties can appear from separate locations using the Microsoft Teams platform.

I have spoke with some judges and they have had problems with to many people on the video hearing. It was easier if the Claimant was on video and the judge was on video and everyone else was on the telephone. 

I have been hearing for some time, even before Covid-19, that the Social Security Administration was going to start doing more and more hearings by video. The cost of having to rent office space for hearings is costly and is a way for the SSA to reduce costs. 

I personally find it important for judges to see my client. I want the judge to see my client walk into the court room; get in and out of the chair; stand up after sitting for a period of time because the client is in pain. I think in person hearings lend more credibility to the hearing. 

How do you feel about only having a video hearing and not appearing live before a judge? 

If you need helping applying for Social Security Disability or SSI, please contact me at joshben99@gmail.com. I have over 20 years experience with Social Security Disability cases.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Sample questions you may be asked at your social security hearing

  Every case is different; no list will contain EVERY question an administrative law judge might ask, and the questions may not be asked in exactly this way, or in this order, but this information should help prevent you from feeling like questions are coming at you from “left field.” Going over this list will also spur you to think about things you might not have previously considered (such as how long you can sit, stand, walk or concentrate). You will NOT be asked every single question on this list and it is NOT useful to try to memorize answers to the questions. Just read over the list in the days before your hearing. Of course, this list should NOT be construed as legal advice pertaining to your case, and by providing it, I am not acting as your lawyer. My intention is just to provide some really helpful, general information. I. INTRODUCTORY INFORMATION Name – address – date of birth Marital Status and maiden name Former spouse information Do you live in a house, apar...
Read more

Frequency of Medical Treatment

The frequency of your medical treatment is an important factor in your Social Security disability claim. A diagnosis is a first step, but a judge must evaluate your functional limitations due to your medical condition. And when evaluating the seriousness of your functional limitations, regular doctor visits are helpful. Looking at the cases of mine that were not granted in the past year or so, the lack of medical treatment played a role in almost every one. There a lots of reasons not to go to the doctor. There are co-pays. Sometimes there is little the doctor can do for you. Perhaps you do not want to complain to the doctor about your daily struggles. But without regular doctor visits, you may have an uphill battle for disability benefits. Also, the more the doctor sees you and is familiar with your condition, the more likely that the doctor will provide an opinion regarding your functional limitations. Those opinions are often the most persuasive medical evidence available to a perso...
Read more

Covid Long Haul and Social Security Disability

Social Security Disability is a federal program to assist individuals who suffer from long-term disabilities that will keep them from working for 12 months or longer. This program is funded through payroll taxes that everyone sees on their pay stubs.  Applying for SSDI as a COVID long-hauler is a bit of a complex topic at this point. Due to the associated symptoms of long COVID, it is reasonable to connect having the disease and qualifying for disability benefits. However, every case is individually considered by the Social Security Administration (SSA) before approval, and there are plenty of cases that are later approved after being initially denied.  Long COVID, or long-haul COVID, is a term to describe a syndrome where symptoms continue months after a coronavirus infection. Researchers think that 10% to 30% of patients who had COVID infections might suffer from long COVID, or "post-COVID syndrome," whether their initial illness was serious or not. Some researchers define ...
Read more