Describing Your Impairments

Either the attorney or the administrative law judge will ask you about your different impairments. Be prepared to provide a general idea of when the impairment started, the general medical treatment you have received and continue to receive, and your understanding of what the future holds. When describing pain, make sure you identify where it’s located and describe it as sharp, aching, burning, etc. You may be asked to rate your pain on a scale of 0-10. Please be sure to discuss this with your attorney prior to the hearing since different administrative law judges have different perspectives on this type information.