Understanding Vocational Experts in the SSDI Application Process
If you need to prove your Memphis SSDI case and don’t know where to start, you may want to know about vocational experts. Our SSDI lawyers work with these witnesses to help our clients get the disability benefits they need.
What Are Vocational Experts and What Do They Do?
A vocational expert (VE) is a type of expert witness focused on job availability and labor markets. In SSDI, they help inform the courts about how your disability might affect your ability to find work.
Vocational experts can explain how your injury impacts you. They might discuss your education, experience, and mental and physical abilities to help the judge better understand your situation.
When called upon at the right time and for the right reason, vocational experts can play an important role in determining your eligibility for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI).
When are VE’s the most useful?
VE’s are typically called upon during the disability hearing process to provide expert testimony on your ability to perform work. They can be the most helpful when the SSA says your medical condition doesn’t clearly meet the criteria for disability, or where the SSA disputes the severity of your condition.
Take a client of ours, for example. He had a bad injury to his thumb and did manual work for a living. The SSA didn’t understand from his initial application how badly the injury affected him.
We defended him in his appeal, and as part of that process, we worked with a vocational expert. She examined his thumb and looked at the entirety of his work history and education. Then she testified that because of the injury, he would not be able to find work within his ability. He ultimately got the benefits he needed.
It’s important to note that VEs aren’t responsible for making the final decision on your eligibility for SSDI benefits. Their role is simply to provide expert testimony. Ultimately, it is up to the judge to determine whether you’re eligible for benefits.
That said, the VE’s testimony can carry significant weight in the decision-making process.
How Does Working with an Attorney Help You Win Your Appeal?
When the SSA denies your disability application (an extremely common problem), you have 60 days to appeal. During this time, you need to find a great SSDI attorney.
You do not want to go this alone. Because the best SSDI attorneys know the system inside and out, they can usually tell you what went wrong in your application.
In addition, they can help you gather all the evidence you need to prove your case. That includes vocational experts, medical testimony, and more. You need every tool possible to have the best chance of getting your benefits.
Prove Your Memphis SSDI Case With Our Help
If you need to prove your Memphis SSDI case, contact us today.
As a trusted Memphis SSDI firm, we’ve helped hundreds of clients appeal their cases and get the benefits they desperately need. Our vast knowledge base, analytical skills, and large network of specialists helps us handle even the most complex SSDI appeals cases.
When you work with our team, you get access to a large team of experts who can help research and testify on your behalf. Our team works tirelessly to ensure you’re represented accurately. The SSA may rush through your application, but we never will.
What’s more, we don’t win anything unless you do. And even then it’s just a fraction of your past-due benefits: you keep every penny moving forward.
Don’t wait to get started with a team that will help you prove your case once and for all. Call us at 901-327-2100 or fill out the form below.