Recently I finished a Cincinnati social security disability hearing with an administrative law judge. Every one in awhile after a hearing is closed and you get to speak with a Social Security administrative law judge informally, they give you a pearl.
This is not secret disability information by any means, though some social security disability sites would tease with this lead in to get your attention on this key piece of advice with the words social security disability secrets revealed. Although it may not be known by many I would not term it a secret. More correctly a practice pointer.
The social security disability judge told this attorney that he sees many attorneys that try to ignore seemingly damaging evidence. The judge told me that anything like that should be attempted to me explained by the client. My old evidence teacher called this " Taking the sting out".
As an example suppose there is evidence of alchohol or drug use. If the judge finds this is material to the disability your client will loose. Therefore you must have you client honestly talk about their usage. Hopefully the usage was isolated or has completely stopped. But be sure that if its in the records the judge will see it and want to know about it. You must prepare your client for it. The worst thing they can do is deny any usage when the record clearly confirms the usage. This totally undermines their credibility. The worst thing you can do is ignore it. As a disability lawyer it totally undermines your credibility
By Cincinnati social security disability attorney Anthony Castelli. www.castellilaw.com
