I recently represented a lady in a disability hearing. She had applied a couple of years ago and been denied. She had appealed, went to the hearing unrepresented and was denied again at the hearing. Now, she had a second hearing and had prepared herself to be denied again. When we entered the hearing office and were told the name of the judge assigned to hear the case, my client's face turned white. "That's the same judge who denied me at the last hearing," she said.
I fought back a feeling of despair. The same client, the same facts, and the same judge? But I tried not to let my client see my concern "Don't worry," I said, "We'll do all right."
Upon leaving the hearing my client was grave. "That judge had the same look on his face as he had at the other hearing," she said. "I think he's all set to deny me again." She expressed how much an award would mean to her financially because she was surviving on what little money her family could give her.
A month passed and I noticed a message from this lady on my phone. Since I had not heard anything about her case, I figured she was calling to ask about it. However, when she picked up the phone I could tell that this was no routine call.
"They approved me!" she exclaimed. "I got a fully favorable decision and my letter says I am going to get $_____ in back pay." She spent the next five minutes telling me how this was going to change her life and how happy she was to regain some of her independence.
"It isn't over until it's over," I thought. I think some great football coach once said that. It serves to remind me to encourage claimants who have been denied and have come to expect it. Even if they expect it, their representative never should.
I fought back a feeling of despair. The same client, the same facts, and the same judge? But I tried not to let my client see my concern "Don't worry," I said, "We'll do all right."
Upon leaving the hearing my client was grave. "That judge had the same look on his face as he had at the other hearing," she said. "I think he's all set to deny me again." She expressed how much an award would mean to her financially because she was surviving on what little money her family could give her.
A month passed and I noticed a message from this lady on my phone. Since I had not heard anything about her case, I figured she was calling to ask about it. However, when she picked up the phone I could tell that this was no routine call.
"They approved me!" she exclaimed. "I got a fully favorable decision and my letter says I am going to get $_____ in back pay." She spent the next five minutes telling me how this was going to change her life and how happy she was to regain some of her independence.
"It isn't over until it's over," I thought. I think some great football coach once said that. It serves to remind me to encourage claimants who have been denied and have come to expect it. Even if they expect it, their representative never should.
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