The administrative law judge does not have expect you to have the same type of medical knowledge as a doctor; however, because you have seen doctors for your conditions, the judges often do ask about your understanding of your condition and the treatment you received. One thing you can testify…
One of the hallmarks of what we take for granted today, as a modern society is how we treat workers who have been injured during the course of their employment. It used to be that if you were injured on the job you could look forward to only a few…
Everybody spends 24 hours per day doing something. In virtually every social security disability hearing, the claimant is asked how they spend their time on a day to day basis. Be prepared to list some specific things that you do such as watch TV, light housework, read, listen to music…
You may be familiar with workers’ compensation benefits in North Carolina, but there is also a separate system to compensate people who have been injured in their employment: Social Security disability. This post covers some of the characteristics of how you may qualify for Social Security disability, and what it…
Physically, the major types of restrictions involve standing, walking, sitting, bending, use of your hands and fingers, and operation of foot or leg controls. When asked about these types of activities it is better to provide specific time periods rather than general statements such as “not very long.” For example,…
You’ve been hurt on the job. You can’t go to work but the bills keep coming. You’ve heard that your employer owes you workers’ compensation benefits, but they refuse to pay and even refuse your attempts to communicate with them. Or they may even tell you that you are not…
Either the attorney or the administrative law judge will ask you about your different impairments. Be prepared to provide a general idea of when the impairment started, the general medical treatment you have received and continue to receive, and your understanding of what the future holds. When describing pain, make…
Workers’ compensation laws are intended for the protection of North Carolina employees who are injured in a work accident. Protecting your right to receive benefits such as lost wages, reimbursement for the cost of medical treatment and compensation for a resulting disability requires you to take certain steps to notify…
Please make sure you notify your attorney if you have worked on even a part-time basis after your onset date of disability. It can be very damaging for this type of information to come out at the hearing as a surprise. If your attorney knows about this activity there are…
Going to work when you are ill or injured does nothing but lower your productivity. An injured worker is a danger to other workers. There is always the chance you will not be able to handle dangerous equipment and materials safely, increasing risk to yourself and to others. Or your…