questions at hearing

[backless]

hey all,just found out my hearing is coming up.how about posting questions asked by the judges you saw,I could use all the tips /I can get thanks,backless

[BrokenBladder]

and congraduations on your hearing!! I know going before the judge sounds intimidating but really it's not all that bad. First the room is small, more like a judges chambers. The judge will be there, a VR person will be there, you and your attorney, assuming you have one. The judge starts out asking simple questions such as your name, what's wrong with you, and how it affects you. Sometimes he will throw something in there that your not expecting, such as do you see yourself as depressed. Well the correct answer is to always be honest, so I told him yes. In my case I have a bad bladder that has bleeding ulcers on the inside so he ask me how many time I have to go to the bathroom, including during the night. He ask me what it felt like too. I just answered everything honestly and to the best of my ability. If he ask me something that I didn't understand I told him, sir I didn't understand that question, he was happy to repeat it. I was given a decision from the bench, in my favor.
I had a tough judge too. He was a former federal prosecuter and my attorney told me up front, be honest always. He will know if you are trying to make anything seem like something it's not.
Good luck to you, everything will be fine!!

[suede]

Hi backless,
Mu hearing is coming up Jan. 11 also and I understand how you feel about facing the judge.
My lawyer said to just act as if I'm talking to an old friend and be honest and as descriptive as possible with my answers, he said not to try and say all the medical things that are going on as the judge will have all that info in front of them to explain in detail what it is about my illnesses that make me unable to work and what my pain has done to me and my life, what ever he said don't be dishonest.
In my case the hearing will be held via video with the judge somewhere else.
Below is a good site to ck out that may help you.

http://www.disabilitysecrets.com/

Best of luck, I know I've been waiting almost 4 yrs for this hearing and have been disabled for 8...

Linda

[cindybear]

Guys, I had a tough one too..and he gave ma a no...But then when I went to the federal gov..court (yes, It had to go all the way there ) It added 2 more years of stress to me and my case ) But They were very upset and sais After reveiwing my case with thr ALJ , I should have won with him..So...The GOV paid my attorney fees from ALJ court up to federal court and all fees..What I didn't understand when asked was = how much my husband made...because I thought this was about me and my hours of work (not hubbys ). I answered. But....??? Anyways..They asked..Did I drive there ? they knew I was an hour drive away..No, my husband drove me..Did you take the elevater up or take the stairs..Duh..the elevater...What di I do from the time I wake up to the time I go to bed at night...Yes...Which I told them I tried to do house work when I could but wasn't often..because every time my heart beat and blood pressure would get high my head pain would get real bad so I would have to lay down for quite awhile and then try again...Or I just didn't do anything that day..If you told them I came here for about an hour a day..For aneurysm and chronic pain support, That was a big NO NO...He made it soud like I could be working at a job on computers a 40 hour week...My best advise would be brutaly honest about your worse day..If your like me, I have many...Hugs, Cindy

[Georg]

My Attorney was a former Chief ALJ for the district in my area. One of the suggestions she gave me, that she indicated was very important, is to answer any question very simply.

I sometime (important, due to my head injury get very confused when I shop, even at a store I have been in before and if I do not have a map, that somone help me construct it will take me 3 hour to shop for even a few item) thus, when I was not to give explicit answers, for example:

I am asked the question: "Do you have assistance doing grocery shopping." I should answer: "Yes" - period. Allow the ALJ to ask next the next question - "please explain", I then say: "I must get assistance to draw a map otherwise I get confused."

[Cry Tears]

I'd been turned down many times. I was forced to quit working due to severe diarreah, chronic pain and horrible fatigue.
When I applied for SSI I'd only been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and Irritable bowel.
(5 years ealier I was DX with FM but did not have fatigue & pain and continued working double time)
Then my fatigue and pain came on within just days after what I now feel a reaction to multiple chemicals (we'd just moved into our totally remodeled home, new carpets, floorings, wall coverings and all new furniture, then closed the house up in time for a very cold and icey winter....locking all the fumes for me to breath in.
We'd spent the entire summer and early fall working night and day on this house.
We worked 60+ hours a week sanding, painting and working hard to fix up our "new" home.
We were going to build a new home, but fell in love with the property and setting this house is on...it was then 12 years old and needed a lot to make it like new...oh how I wish I could go back and change things!
The price of vanity was too costy! Now the 3 levels of stairs is a real problem with my muscle weakness)
I was so fatigued the court date where I was to go before the judge.
My husband drove me. I was too fatigued to put on makeup and didn't curl my hair.
You could see the fatigue just by looking at me...the sparkle in my eye was definatly gone!
I was once a very sucessful real estate agent and had been earning a very good 6+ figure income.
I loved my job which I found a lot of satisfaction and self worth.
No reason in the world to want to quit such a dream job!
I loved what I did for a living.
During the hearing I had to excuse myself twice, went to the public bathroom, stunk it up...the judges secretary in there too! Oh how embarraseing.
The judge asked me many questions...and as advised I answered them as honest and without any additional wording.
Basically yes/no answers whenever possible. I didn't try to add anything to convince the judge..I felt I was screwed no matter how much I tried.
I was also very depressed over the entire ordeal.
SSI had sent me to several doctors. I also was seeing a Fibromyalgia expert within my health care system, Kaiser Permanante.
He was known as a very compassionate and knowledgable person.
His notes about his findings felt I could work, that I wasn't "that bad" as I stated.
I was just devastated. I'd seen this person on a "good day" only once and for 10 minutes. How could he make such a judgment in such a short time?
I did find this person very knowledgable, helpful and compassionate, but did NOT agree with him.
The judge asked me how I felt about this person and I was totally honest with him...told him I really liked this person, but felt he'd not gotten the true picture of me because I'd seen him on a very good day and only 10 minutes. I said I felt there was no way for him to see the true picture of me...that I've always hid my pain and suffering very well.
That I'd worked many years despite having the diagnoses of fibro years before and continued working.

I also told him I felt there was no way I could work because of the diarreah alone, not to mention the fatigue and pain.
I did have a tentative diagnosis of inflammitory arthritis process.
My blood work was totally normal except my sed rate was very high, 85, so that proved I had some sort of inflamation within me.
When I finished telling the judge about the FM "expert"...that I felt he was nice, very knowledgable, but didn't have time to really get the entire picture.

The judge pounded his gavel, mumbling something as he gathered my paperwork. I thought for sure I was being tossed out and was misunderstood once again...but my attorney was smiling and leaned over to me and whispered "I've never seen or heard of this, but the judge made a favorable determination in your case....said he felt you were totally honest with him and he felt if you were that honest, he could trust what I'd said about not being able to work as truth.
But because I wasn't feeling that good...actually I was having a very bad day with pain and fatigue....I just wanted to get home and get back into my bed!...and thats just where I went. No celebrating that day!
I've really gone downhill and am in much worse condition than when I first applied.
Years after this I was diagnosed with Crohns disease, had an intestinal anuerism (actually an arteveinous malformation) had a doctor damage a nerve during a gall badder surgery leaving me in constant pain in my side. I've had 2 bowel resections and now I have Peripheral Neuropathy since first "winning" SSI.
It makes me angry for what they put you thru in order to prove what the doctors say about your case...that 1/3 of 2 years of my money went to an attorney who helped me "win" what I paid into all these years.
I hope everyone who'se trying to gain SSI will get processed quickly.
Its so sad to read horror stories of some spending years of being turned down when they're so needy and ill. Just not fair!
But then is anything in this life fair?
Blessings, cheryl
My best advice is to be 100% honest....try not to add anything.
Do not be defensive and combative.
Answer with as percise as you can.
Don't be overly nice and sweet/freindly...they'll see right thru that.
Its not lying when you answer the questions by examples of your bad days. We all have some good days....at least I hope you do....just answer the way you are on these bad days. On your bad days can you really carry 20 phone books 30 miles walking uphill barefooted on hot glass shards? No way!
But maybe you can on a very good day you actually could...thats if you're being chased by an ugly blind mean phlebotomist!
Blessings, cheryl
PS...I am also working one day a week....I need to get out of the house and do something....I'm going stir crazy! But all I do is go spend the night at an elderly womans home...just wants someone there for her. I have my own room and sleep there. But I turn all this info over to SSI...no problem...so far.