Episode 17 – The Role of the Vocational Witness

In this episode, I discuss the role of the vocational witness.  In many hearing offices, Social Security judges regularly call vocational witnesses to testify in hearings.  You need to understand who these witnesses are, why they are testifying at your hearing and their purpose for testifying.

The issue in any Social Security disability hearing has to do with your capacity to perform "substantial activity," which is Social Security terminology for work or work-like activity.  The judge's job is to evaluate the evidence and to evaluate your credibility as a witness.  However, the judge does not have any special training in job placement, the physical and mental requirements of various jobs or the number of jobs that exist in a local or regional economy.  Therefore, the judge will turn to the vocational witness to better understand the vocational impact of your medical condition.

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