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Disability Guide: Does Cancer Qualify for Disability?

Published on December 23rd, 2021

Does Cancer Qualify For Disability?

Learning about a cancer diagnosis can be life-changing news. You may be feeling apprehensive about the road ahead, and wondering how you will be able to keep up with your finances. The good news is that your condition may qualify you for disability benefits. While not every type of cancer allows you to obtain benefits, it’s possible in many cases, especially with a qualified Social Security lawyer by your side.

Read this guide to understand your chances of qualifying for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits as a cancer patient.

What Qualifies You

In most cases, a cancer diagnosis will not automatically qualify you for Social Security disability benefits. However, if you have documented symptoms that prove your condition limits your daily activities and prevents you from working for an extended period of time, you’ll likely qualify for benefits.

The Social Security Administration also has a guide, known as The Blue Book, that outlines the criteria for many types of cancer, including pancreatic cancer, prostate cancer, and cervical cancer. If your symptoms match the criteria in this guide, it will be easier for you to earn disability benefits.

Compassionate Allowance Program

Although your eligibility for benefits will greatly depend on your cancer stage and individual symptoms, there is an exception to this rule.

The SSA’s Compassionate Allowances Program outlines a number of aggressive conditions, including some types of cancer, that can expedite your application process. The objective of this program is to provide people with aggressive conditions with the support they need as quickly as possible.

Some of the cancer’s on this list include:

  • Acute leukemia
  • Esophageal cancer
  • Fibrolamellar cancer
  • Gallbladder cancer
  • Brain cancer
  • Inflammatory Breast Cancer
  • Liver cancer
  • Small cell lung cancer
  • Thyroid cancer
  • Pancreatic cancer
  • Cancers that are inoperable, have spread to other parts of the body, or are late-stage

If you have one of the types of cancer listed in the compassionate allowances list, you’ll likely be able to receive benefits within a month’s time.

You May Still Qualify

Even if your condition is not listed in the Blue Book or the Compassionate Allowances List, you may still qualify for disability benefits. The Social Security Administration is more concerned with how your symptoms affect your ability to live and work than your actual diagnosis.

If you’ve been diagnosed with cancer and expect you’ll be unable to work, you should apply for benefits. Benefits can provide you with much-needed financial relief, which will allow you to focus all of your energy on your recovery.

A Lawyer Can Help

If you’ve been diagnosed with cancer and are finding it difficult to work, a Social Security Disability lawyer can help. Navigating the disability claims system can be difficult, which is why it’s so beneficial to have a knowledgeable professional on your side.

A disability lawyer will take the work and stress out of applying for benefits. They can communicate with medical professionals on your behalf, fill out paperwork, gather evidence for your case, and file an appeal if you are wrongly denied benefits.

Above all else, they’ll be there to support you, answer your questions, and ensure you’re sending in a strong and accurate application.

Set up a Free Case Consultation in Illinois

If you have cancer and are looking to apply for disability benefits, trust the expert Social Security lawyers at Jeffrey A. Rabin & Associates. We’re the top choice for social security attorneys in Joliet, Chicago, Park Ridge, and beyond.

We’ll be by your side throughout the entire application process, ready to answer questions, make phone calls, request documentation, and more.

Call us today at 847-299-0008 for a free case consultation.

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