Using Your Own Vocational Expert

Occasionally, especially for claimants who are also receiving workers’ compensation benefits, it may be possible to utilize vocational expert testimony from the workers’ compensation or personal injury case in the social security claim. This vocational expert is generally “friendly” to the claimant is more likely to provide the kind of information that will be helpful in pursuing the social security disability case. The VE’s testimony can be strengthened because of the opportunity to administer vocational tests that cannot be utilized during a hearing. However, a challenge exists because this type of evidence can be expensive.