• Chapter One: Introduction
• Chapter Two: Standards of Review and Federal Court Remedies
• Chapter Three: Topical and Sequential Evaluation Outlines
• Chapter Four: SSR 96-1p: Application by the Social Security Administration (SSA) of Federal Circuit Court and District Court Decisions
• Chapter Five: SSR 96-2p: Giving Controlling Weight to Treating Source Medical Opinions
• Chapter Six: SSR 96-3p: Considering Allegations of Pain and Other Symptoms in Determining Whether a Medically Determinable Impairment Is Severe
• Chapter Seven: SSR 96-4p: Symptoms, Medically Determinable Physical and Mental Impairments, and Exertional and Nonexertional Limitations
• Chapter Eight: SSR 96-5p: Medical Source Opinions on Issues Reserved to the Commissioner
• Chapter Nine: SSR 96-6p: Consideration of Administrative Findings of Fact by State Agency Medical and Psychological Consultants and Other Program Physicians and Psychologists at the Administrative Law Judge and Appeals Council Levels of Administrative Review; Medical Equivalence
• Chapter Ten: SSR 96-7p: Evaluation of Symptoms in Disability Claims: Assessing the Credibility of an Individual’s Statements
• Chapter Eleven: SSR 96-8p: Assessing Residual Functional Capacity in Initial Claims
• Chapter Twelve: SSR 96-9p: Determining Capability to Do Other Work—Implications of a Residual Functional Capacity for Less Than a Full Range of Sedentary Work
• Chapter Thirteen: The Role of Reliable Vocational Information at the Social Security Administration
• Chapter Fourteen: The Dictionary of Occupational Titles, Structure, History, Reliability, and Validity
• Chapter Fifteen: Other Sources of Vocational Data
• Chapter Sixteen: Vocational Information and Analysis at Step Four of the Sequential Evaluation Process
• Chapter Seventeen: Vocational Evidence at Step Five of the Sequential Evaluation Process
• Chapter Eighteen: Transferability of Skills Analysis
• Chapter Nineteen: Attacking Vocational Expert Testimony
• Chapter Twenty: Vocational Expert Testimony on the Number of Jobs Available at Step Five
• Appendix
• Index to Rulings
• Index to Book

This update to Mr. Traver’s Social Security Disability Advocate’s Handbook adds a new collection of briefs, two handy checklists, materially expands the chapter “Attacking Vocational Expert Testimony,” and updates the rest of the book.

NEW BRIEFS COLLECTION
This edition begins the formation of a growing collection of briefs written by the author. It starts with 9 briefs. The issues covered in each brief are listed on the Summary of Briefs at the front of the book.

NEW FORMS
Intake action sheet. §2010.2
Hearing preparation worksheet. §2010.3

UPDATED TEXT
Chapter 1 Introduction

• New Practice Tip: Important regulations controlling submission of adverse evidence and time to submit evidence in support of the claim. §104.1

Chapter 4 SSR 96-1p Application by the Social Security Administration (SSA) of Federal Circuit Court and District Court Decisions

• New Example: Using SSR 96-1p as a sword to counter the invidious ad hominem attack of the “Sias” boilerplate. §401.1
• New Practice Tip: Are the Program Operations Manual System (POMS), Emergency Messages, and the Hearings, Appeals and Litigation Law manual (HALLEX) binding upon adjudicators at SSA? §404.01

Chapter 19 Attacking Vocational Expert Testimony (expanded and rewritten)

• Introduction: Recognizing the Essential Problems with Vocational Testimony and What to Do About It. §1900
• Case Study: Coppernoll. §1901
• SSR00-4p, Resolving Conflicts Between the DOT and VE Testimony – But That Does Not Address the DOT’s “Whole Cloth” Problem. §1902
• The Devolution of the DOT and Vocational Testimony by the SSA. §1903
• Instant Exhibit: Objection to the Vocational Witness. §1904.3
• The Cautionary Tale of the Britton Case. §1908.7
• The Right to Know Class Action: the Problem of Gaining Access to Information Allegedly Relied upon by Vocational Experts. §1911