Describing Your Symptoms at Your Hearing
When it comes to describing symptoms, there is no better source of testimony than you. No one is better qualified to describe symptoms, which are simply the way that your medical condition makes you feel. More than anyone else, you are aware of the way in which you hurt. Because of this, as well as the fact that your symptoms are what make your medical condition disabling, your testimony on your symptoms is incredibly important.
When you are asked by the judge why you should be considered disabled, do not simply respond with the name of your condition. Individuals with the same condition as you can and do work. As the symptoms of the condition are what make you disabled, those should be what you are describing. Specifically, describing the pain that you experience will help to build your case.
Another response that is not helpful is simply stating that you hurt. Instead of simply saying that you are in pain, you should describe your symptoms with specific, detailed descriptions. You should elaborate on the nature of your symptoms, their intensity and location, whether they move to different areas, how often you experience them, and for how long you experience them. If applicable in your case, you should also tell the judge if the pain varies from day to day, certain things trigger it, and relief from them can be obtained and how.
When testifying about your symptoms, you should be careful to be honest and precise. You should neither exaggerate nor underplay your symptoms, since doing either can be detrimental to your case. If you do the latter, you are essentially convincing the judge that you are not so impaired that you cannot work, which is the opposite of what you want to convey. If you do the former and overstate, the judge will think that you are not telling the truth because your descriptions will not align with your medical records. Even if you do not intentionally overstate, using words such as “never,” “always,” “extreme,” “excruciating,” and “constantly” may give the judge the impression that you are embellishing on the truth. Simply state the facts about how you feel without trying to make your condition sound better or worse than it actually is.
The knowledge and expertise of a qualified Ocala disability lawyer will help to prepare you for your hearing. Contact Ocala disability attorney CJ Henry if you are facing a hearing and want to increase your odds of a favorable outcome for you.