Statements from your former co-workers or supervisors about problems you had performing the duties of your past jobs can be very persuasive evidence to a Social Security administrative law judge.

Since the main issue in your disability case has to do with whether you have the capacity to perform simple, entry-level work, it stands to reason that personal observations from former co-workers or supervisors – people who actually saw you in the workplace – would be very relevant evidence.

Presumably your claims file contains solid medical evidence. At a minimum, your medical record should include one or more diagnoses and medical records documenting treatment. Functional capacity evaluations from long time treating doctors (ideally medical specialists) help the judge understand how and why your medical issues would prevent you from reliably performing any type of job.

Your hearing testimony should demonstrate that you are honest and truthful and motivated to return to work if you could.

In addition to these standard building blocks for your case, statements from people who actually observed you struggling at a job can greatly strengthen your case and sometimes make the difference between winning and losing. Continue reading →