How Do Administrative Law Judges Use Consultative Exam Results?

Added: 2026-05-20

[00:00:00]Social Security files can get huge, thousands of pages, but even when I'm looking at a file, the consultative exams are one of the first things that I'm looking at. Uh if they're helpful, a lot of times that helps me figure out, okay, what where are we going with this case? Does the if the consultative exam is helpful, that's usually a pretty good sign that um we've got a very strong case that we're looking at. Sometimes the consultative exams are not helpful, and the case is still very strong, but it just kind of helps me get oriented to how much are we going to have to fight on this thing.

[00:00:33]And I I suspect that the judges use it very similarly. They're looking at um the consultative examiner's opinion. If even the consultative examiner agrees that you're disabled, you know, maybe this is a case the judge should just go ahead and approve.