As a Social Security Disability attorney, I can tell you that everyone going through a Social Security Disability appeal has to have an ALJ hearing. You may be assigned an in-person hearing or a video hearing, but one way or another you’re going in front of a judge.
Because video hearings are cheaper for the SSA, they want more of them and have been working hard to increase the number of facilities out there that can do this. Under the current rules you can refuse video hearings for any reason, but that may not be the case in the future.
SSA to Force Video Hearings for Social Security Disability Appeals?
It’s easy to understand why the rule was put in place to allow people to refuse video hearings. While more and more people are becoming familiar with using video cameras and video chat programs, there is still a significant percentage of the population—especially older people—that just don’t feel comfortable talking to a screen instead of a person.
You might have to just get used to it, though, because there are a number of proposals making their way around the SSA that will make it a lot harder to avoid video hearings. Here are just a few possibilities:
- Stop paying for transportation if claimants who refuse a closer video hearing then have to travel more than 75 miles to an in-person hearing.
- Require claimants to refuse video hearings within 10 or 20 days of being notified of them.
- Make video hearings mandatory and remove claimants right to an in-person hearing.
While learning about those kinds of suggestions may seem scary, you should know that there’s no specific regulation in the works—right now the SSA is simply talking about the possibility of trying those ideas, and there are currently barriers in place preventing more video hearings.
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Barriers to Video Hearings
What barriers? Well, first off there is a rule saying that people have the right to an in-person hearing. That’s not a small thing to get past. There are also ALJs who simply refuse to have video hearings. Even if the SSA attempted to phase them out, it would take years. And the equipment itself, while continually improving, can still experience problems that cause delays to hearings and end up costing more—no one wants that!
No matter what you have to face, your best bet is to find an experienced Social Security Disability attorney that you can trust. Our firm prides itself on being able to prepare you for anything, so check us out today! For more information, be sure to check out our free e-book, The Social Security Disability Puzzle.
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