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What Does Social Security Mean by “Other Work”?

If Social Security does not believe that you meet or equal a disability listing or are disabled under a grid rule, they will award your case only if they believe you cannot do your past work or “other work”. What kinds of jobs does Social Security look at to decide if you can do other […]

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Limitations Erode Your Ability to Work

Limitations from your medical conditions are the basis for being found disabled under the rules of the Social Security Disability program.  For example, if you have back problems you may be unable to bend, stoop, or crouch because of limited range of motion of your back, or due to back pain.  The inability to bend, […]

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What is the DOT that the VE referred to?

DOT stands for “Dictionary of Occupational Titles”.  The DOT is a government survey by the Department of Labor, who created it to provide job information to government agencies, job seekers, and educational and training institutions.  The DOT contains over 12,000 job descriptions.  Each description gives an estimate of the mental and physical demands, skills, traits, […]

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Why Does the Disability Judge ask Hypothetical Questions to the VE?

The questions the judge asks the VE require a two step process.  First, the judge must consider how your medical conditions affect you physically and mentally by stating your residual functioning capacity (RFC).  Second, the judge looks at whether you could work despite those limitations.  The judge asks the VE hypothetical questions because they have […]

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Key Players at the Hearing: Vocational Experts

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Many individuals who are going to their Social Security hearing have never been to a hearing before and are unsure of what to expect. The way in which most people envision the hearing is generally very different from the place and manner in which the hearings are conducted. Unlike the typical television courtroom scene, a […]

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What are the Grids?

The Grids are a set of rules that help simplify the disability determination process.  If your case falls directly under a Grid rule then that rule determines whether your case is denied or awarded.  The Grids help older disability claimants because they recognize that it becomes harder to adjust to new and different work as […]

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Limitations That Help in Any Job Anywhere

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When you testify at your disability hearing about your limitations that contribute to your disability you should prioritize the message, and tell the Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) about your biggest problems first.  Save the minor problems for the bottom of your list to keep the judge’s attention and maintain your credibility.  You should also focus […]

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Why is a Vocational Expert Coming to Your Disability Hearing?

A Vocational Expert (VE) is present at most Social Security disability hearings.  VEs are persons who are knowledgeable about the physical and mental demands of work and the numbers of particular jobs in the nation and your region.  Usually they have worked for programs that try to place people with disabilities into jobs. The disability […]

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