Return to Videos Letters from friends and family are helpful. They’re called third-party statements or third-party witness statements. It’s good to have them done and submitted. However, I would encourage anybody who’s willing to do this to have an attorney talk to these people so whatever they do submit is going to be helpful and doesn’t go into areas that need not be entered into. They’re always helpful, but how much helpful? That all depends. The important things that you’re going to have at your Social Security disability hearing are your opinions of treating physicians as to what you can and cannot do. Lay testimony is only of limited value.