Lawyer For Administrative Law Judge Hearings

Assisting Clients With Administrative Law Judge Hearings in Washington, D.C. & Nationwide

Administrative Law Judges are appointed to arbitrate cases for a wide variety of federal agencies. They typically oversee cases that fall into three categories: entitlement, regulatory, and enforcement cases. Entitlement cases include social security disability, federal disability retirement benefits, and other benefit claims. If you are denied certain benefits as a federal employee, you may be able to bring your case before an Administrative Law Judge.

If you’re ready to pursue an appeal hearing, contact the Washington, D.C., federal employment lawyers at The Law Firm of John P. Mahoney, Esq., Attorneys at Law, PLLC. We can represent your case before the Administrative Law Judge and help you receive the benefits your situation or condition warrants.

How Does An Administrative Law Hearing Work?

During your appeal hearing, an Administrative Law Judge needs to review your “exhibit file,” which includes your medical records and work history, before making any decisions regarding your disability claim. This file also needs to list the reason you were originally denied benefits. The Administrative Law Judge may request the presence of a medical specialist or vocational expert who can provide knowledgeable information regarding your medical records.

As your legal representative, we can litigate on your behalf in court and present critical medical evidence to the Administrative Law Judge. By strengthening your disability claim, we can help you secure a positive case outcome that yields essential benefits.

How Should I Prepare For An Administrative Law Judge Hearing?

Preparing for an administrative law judge (ALJ) hearing is critical to ensure you present a strong and compelling case.

Here are essential things to remember:

• Understand the Hearing Process: Knowing the sequence of events during the hearing can help reduce anxiety and allow you to focus on presenting your case. Your attorney can provide a detailed rundown of what to expect.
• Consult with a Federal employment law attorney for administrative law judge hearings in Washington DC can significantly enhance your preparation. An experienced lawyer can help you understand the legal process.
• Hearings for Social Security are unofficial. No opposing counsel is present to cross-examine you. A Social Security hearing is referred to as "non-adversarial" in legalese, which implies that customary norms of evidence and courtroom etiquette will not be followed. Your attorney will present the Administrative Law Judge with your information; the judge and your attorney may ask you questions; experts may be present at the hearing and may be questioned by both the judge and your attorney; the hearing will be closed by the judge.
• Be prepared to talk about your employment history over the last 15 years. Your complete work history report and any pertinent documents Social Security has gathered to help you with this will be available to your attorney. Talk about your employment history in brief, emphasizing the most important details.
• Questions about your reasons for leaving particular occupations, the number of hours you worked each week, your pay rate, if you could still perform those activities now, and whether the roles were full-time or part-time may come up. Don't worry if you've worked at a lot of different professions in the last 15 years and you can't remember everything. Just share the details that come to mind.
• Be ready to list all significant medical conditions that limit your daily activities. Consult with your administrative law judge hearing attorney to determine which conditions are relevant for the hearing. Minor conditions, like controlled asthma or benign hypertension, usually need only a brief mention.
• Consider writing a list of your medical conditions; your attorney can help remind you of any you might forget. You only need to testify about what you know and experience. No one expects you to use medical terms or act as a doctor.

As a Washington DC Federal employment law attorney for administrative law judge hearings serving nationwide, we are dedicated to guiding our clients through this complex process. Proper preparation, combined with expert legal representation, can make a significant difference in achieving a favorable outcome.