It may have taken some time for you to be diagnosed with stomach cancer. The first signs of stomach cancer are often difficult to detect. You may experience bloating, mild nausea, indigestion, or loss of appetite, for example, and you may think you are under stress, having a series of “off” days, or exhibiting signs of a virus.
By the time you are diagnosed with stomach cancer, your condition may have spread or advanced to late-stage cancer. Now, things are moving really fast. Your doctors may want you to get aggressive treatment quickly and make sure that your affairs are in order. You may be too sick to work, and you may be wondering whether you are eligible for Social Security disability benefits.
Social Security Disability for Gastric Cancer
Generally, you may qualify for Social Security disability in one of three ways. You may prove that:
- You meet the requirements of Section 13.16 in the Blue Book Listing of Impairments. According to this listing, you may qualify for disability benefits if you have a carcinoma or sarcoma of the stomach that is inoperable, unresectable, extending to surrounding structures or recurrent, or that metastases to or beyond the regional lymph nodes. You may also qualify for disability benefits pursuant to this listing if you have small- cell (oat cell) carcinoma of the stomach.
- Your stomach cancer is equal in severity to any other listing in the Blue Book Listing of Impairments. The Social Security Administration is concerned with how your diagnosis impacts your life. If you have stomach cancer and you do not meet the requirements of Section 13.16, then you may be able to prove that your stomach cancer has the same impact on your life as another type of cancer or medical condition described in the Listing of Impairments.
- You are permanently disabled and unable to work. The Listing of Impairments does not include every medical condition. Instead, it is a tool to assist the Social Security Administration in making disability determinations. If you have stomach cancer that does meet Listing 13.16 and is not equal in severity to another listing, then you may still qualify for benefits by showing that you are unable to work and that your medical condition is likely to last more than one year or result in your death.
If you can prove that you qualify in one of these three ways, then you should submit a complete and accurate Social Security disability application.
Expediting Social Security Disability Claims for Stomach Cancer
Stomach cancer is included on the Social Security Administration’s Compassionate Allowances List. If your condition meets the requirements of Section 13.16 of the Blue Book, then your Social Security disability application should be expedited pursuant to the Compassionate Allowances program.
You do not need to elect to apply through the Compassionate Allowances program. Instead, the Social Security Administration should consider your application quickly because of your medical diagnosis. You may find out about your Social Security disability eligibility status within weeks rather than the months that it would otherwise typically take to get a decision.
Let Our Social Security Disability Lawyers Help You
You have a lot of important things to think about right now. As you begin medical treatment or palliative care, you want to spend as much time as you can with your family and friends. You, understandably, don’t want to deal with the bureaucracy and frustration of filing a Social Security disability application.
Our experienced Massachusetts Social Security disability lawyers are here to help you. We can handle the application process for you and make sure that your application is complete and has all of the necessary documentation. We will work hard to get you the benefits that you deserve. Call us or fill out our contact form now to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation with us and to find out how we can help you through this process.
Are You Looking for a Social Security Disability Attorney in Boston, MA?
If you are looking to apply for social security disability, you need to speak with an experienced social security disability lawyer as soon as possible. Please contact us online or call our Natick Office directly at 508.283.5500 to schedule your free consultation.
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