When a vocational expert (VE) states that you can perform specific jobs, that testimony can decide your Social Security disability claim. Challenging a Kansas City vocational expert’s determination requires preparation, clear questions, records, and supporting evidence that shows what you can and cannot do.
An SSDI hearings attorney can prepare you for the hearing, organize medical and work records, and plan a targeted cross-examination. The aim is to ensure that the VE uses reliable sources and accurate assumptions, so the judge has a fair record.
The VE testifies about the kinds of work that exist and whether a person with specific limitations can perform those jobs. According to the Code of Federal Regulations § 404.1566(e), the SSA can utilize VEs to provide evidence about work in the national economy. Their role includes explaining job requirements and how limitations affect employability.
Common VE sources include the Dictionary of Occupational Titles (DOT), Selected Characteristics of Occupations, and other labor references describing tasks, physical demands, and skill levels. The VE’s testimony must be consistent with these labor references. In Kansas City, if the VE describes jobs that conflict with documented restrictions, a representative can request that the judge resolve these inconsistencies on the record.
Cross-examining and challenging the Kansas City VE often involves targeting mismatched reasoning levels, physical demands that exceed the hypothetical, outdated job descriptions, or job-number estimates that do not align with limitations. An attorney can ask the VE to identify every source used, explain the method for job-incidence figures, and address conflicts between the labor references and your actual restrictions. A focused approach will keep the testimony tied to facts that the SSA can rely on.
Examples of evidence that can strengthen a VE challenge include:
An attorney in Kansas City familiar with challenging a VE’s determination can also question whether the VE’s examples require skills you do not have, or whether the job exists in meaningful numbers when your complete set of limits is applied. If the VE relies on an incorrect assumption, your representative can ask the judge to strike or discount that portion of the testimony.
If the Kansas City VE’s testimony conflicts with certain vocational resources, your representative can ask the judge to address the inconsistency. When job-number methods are unclear, your representative can request the underlying source and explanation from the VE. If the record indicates that no jobs remain with the complete set of credible limits, your representative can request that the judge make a finding in support of benefits.
If the hearing testimony does not match your documented limits, challenging a Kansas City vocational expert’s determination can protect the integrity of your claim and keep the record accurate for the decision.
Contact BurnettDriskill, Attorneys, today for a free consultation. Our team can prepare your evidence, plan your cross-examination, and represent you at the hearing, ensuring the SSA reviews a complete and reliable record.
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