I Have Received Notification that There is Going to be a Vocational Expert at my Social Security Disability Hearing, Why?

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As previously explained in other posts, there is a five step sequential evaluation process that every Social Security Disability claims goes through. At steps four and five there is a question about whether or not you can return to the lightest job you’ve held in the fifteen years prior to your disability based on your age, education, training, work experience and your physical and mental difficulties. The vocational expert will be given a hypothetical by the administrative law judge and asked whether or not you are capable of going back to the lightest job you’ve held or whether or not you have skills that would transfer to other types of work.

The second question the vocational expert will be asked by the administrative law judge is whether or not there is any work that you do that exists in the national economy, or that exists in the significant numbers where you live.

A vocational expert will testify from their personal knowledge based on surveys they have done of other businesses or industries in your area.

At Cavey and Barrett, Sharon Barrett, a former Social Security Administration staff attorney, will be prepared to cross examine any testimony from the vocational expert that lead the administrative law judge to deny your claim. We believe it is important that you have representation at the hearing in front of the administrative law judge. If you applied for Social Security Disability benefits and a hearing has been scheduled, contact Sharon Barrett at 727-477-3263 for assistance in representing and preparing you for your Social Security Disability hearing.