Kathryn (Kay) Reed Bayless. I have practiced law since opening the Bayless Law Firm, PLLC, in my hometown of Princeton, West Virginia, in 1982. I have represented clients in all aspects of employment law in West Virginia, including Social Security disability claims. I represent people from many walks of life, and believe strongly in workplace justice for all. I am especially proud to provide legal services to those who need help and may have never dealt with the legal system before.

I am a member of the National Organization of Social Security Claimants’ Representatives (NOSSCR). I have been a member of the West Virginia State Bar since 1979. I have served on the West Virginia State Bar’s Board of Governors and been a member of many of the State Bar’s committees, including the Employment Law Committee. As a founding member, I am on the Board of Governors of the West Virginia Employment Lawyers’ Association.

After graduating from law school, I served as senior law clerk to the Hon. William M. Kidd, United States District Judge for the Southern District of West Virginia (Bluefield Division). Before opening my own practice in 1982, I worked as an associate attorney at the law firm of Garrett, Whittier & Garrett in Webster Springs, West Virginia.

I received my law degree in 1979 from the West Virginia University College of Law in Morgantown, West Virginia. I have a Bachelors Degree from West Virginia University, where I majored in business administration, as well as a Bachelors Degree from Concord College, where I majored in chemistry.

If your claim for Social Security benefits has been denied, and you do not already have a West Virginia disability lawyer and would like me to evaluate your claim, please give me a brief description of your claim using the form to the right, and I will respond promptly. Or you may email or contact me.

Kathryn Reed Bayless West Virginia disability lawyer

Bayless Law Firm, PLLC1607 Main Street

Princeton, West Virginia 24740

If you are unable to continue working due to an illness or injury, but the West Virginia Social Security Administration has denied your claim for disability benefits, you may be wondering whether if it’s worthwhile to appeal. The answer is a definite “yes.” An appeal involves a hearing before an administrative law judge (ALJ). This is your chance to describe your disability, and its effects on the activities of your daily life, to a judge.

As a Princeton Social Security lawyer, I can assist you with your appeal by:

• Making sure the evidence is complete.
• Preparing you and your witnesses for your hearing.
• Presenting your case in its best light to the ALJ .

Gathering evidence

The medical information in your file is probably the most important aspect of your claim. Although Social Security will contact your doctors to get copies of your medical records, you are responsible for making sure that Social Security has all of your medical records and reports from your doctors and other medical care providers. I can request a copy of your Social Security file to determine whether it contains all the medical information needed to provide the ALJ with a full and accurate understanding of your disability. If there are gaps in the evidence, I can work with your doctors to get any addition information that is needed, and I can make sure the ALJ receives that evidence in a timely manner.

I can ensure that you have provided records and reports for all your medical conditions. Many people focus on one particular injury or illness, and neglect to bring other conditions to the attention of the ALJ. You may have a combination of conditions that, taken together, qualify you as disabled even if a single illness or injury, considered in isolation, would not.

Preparing you for your hearing

The idea of going to a hearing before an administrative law judge (ALJ) makes many people anxious. But a hearing is nothing to fear. Whereas the denial of your claim was based on your file, at your hearing the judge will be able to see and speak with you and hear you describe in your own words how your illness or injury has affected you.

Before your hearing, I will explain to you what to expect. I will prepare you and your witnesses to give effective testimony. Either the ALJ or I, or both, will be asking you questions about your past jobs, the doctors you see, and your day-to-day life. Your goal is to provide a clear and accurate picture of how your disability has affected you in your daily activities. It’s important to tell the truth, neither exaggerating nor downplaying your impairment. Your credibility is essential because many disability claims turn on evidence of symptoms, such as pain, that are hard to measure or prove.

Before the hearing, I will also go over with you the kinds of statements that, even if true, will not help your case. For example, Social Security does not consider:

• Whether you would be hired for another job.
• Whether a job opening exists.
• Whether you would be required to move.
• Whether you want to do another job.
• Whether you still have a certificate or license to do the work you have done in the past.

Representing you at your hearing

At your hearing, I will present your case to the administrative law judge (ALJ). I will ask questions of you and your witnesses. I will cross-examine Social Security’s medical or vocational experts. If the ALJ expresses any concerns about your case, I will be there to clarify our position. At the end of the hearing, I will summarize the evidence in your favor.