Your credibility as a medical patient and as a witness can make or break your Social Security disability claim. Your credibility is built upon many things including your age, education, work history, medical history, criminal history, family history and many other variables. However a cornerstone of credibility, particularly in the hearing room, is consistency of your statements. Often, a Social Security claimant’s case can rest on whether or not the administrative law judge believes that the claimant’s limitations are as bad as he or she reports.
Consistency in recorded statements to Social Security personnel, doctors, employers, friends, family and administrative law judge builds a strong foundation for the credibility of your complaints.
However, inconsistencies in your statements can allow an administrative law judge to attack the credibility of your complaints and therefore deny your claim and make winning on appeal more difficult.
Bottom Line: Make sure you tell everyone the same facts.
