The Administrative Law Judge will certainly ask you about your symptoms during your Social Security hearing. There is a helpful way to testify and a damaging way to testify about the same symptoms.
Do not simply tell the Judge the medical diagnosis of your condition and expect that will impress him. Do not simply say “I am in pain all of the time” because that does not effectively explain or describe your symptoms.
The best way to testify about your symptoms is to describe the pain or sensation to the Judge as accurately and in as much detail as possible.
If you have back pain, don’t say “my back hurts”; but describe the exact location, the level of severity and the frequency of the pain you experience. Describe whether or not it is limited to that particular area, diffuse or sharp pain and exactly what type of activities or motions make it better or worse.
Do not feel that you have to exaggerate your symptoms. The Administrative Law Judge hears hundreds of cases per year and will certainly identify whether your complaints are genuine or exaggerated.
If you have questions regarding Social Security Disability hearing or whether or not you have a viable claim, feel free to contact our office.
