If you are fighting liver cancer and the disease has negatively impacted your performance at work, you should consider filing a claim for Social Security disability benefits.
The Social Security Administration (SSA) is the federal agency that processes claims for financial assistance. Unfortunately, the SSA denies a majority of disability claims.
Denied with liver cancer is not the end of the world, as you have the right to appeal a denied liver cancer disability claim.
The key to winning an appeal for reconsideration is to work with a Social Security attorney.
The Importance of the SSA Blue Book
When you filed your initial disability claim for liver cancer, you sent the SSA documents that demonstrated the diagnosis of the disease and the seriousness of the symptoms.
You go through the same process when you file an appeal for reconsideration. A team of medical examiners at the SSA reviews your application and the evidence that you have submitted.
Liver cancer lists under section 13.00 of the Blue Book, but simply suffering from the disease does not mean the SSA will approve your appeal for reconsideration.
You also have to demonstrate the severity of your symptoms. Like all cancers, liver cancer goes through multiple stages of development. Later stages trigger the worst symptoms.
You might lose a significant amount of weight that reduces your stamina level. Intense pain in the upper abdomen and constant fatigue also can inhibit your ability to complete standard job functions. Radiation and chemotherapy treatments might cause side effects that leave you bedridden for days at a time.
Proving the Seriousness of Your Liver Cancer
Diagnostic tests let the SSA how far along your liver cancer has developed. The federal agency is more likely to approve an appeal for reconsideration for liver cancer claims that involve the most advanced stage of the disease.
Blood tests can indicate abnormal liver functions and imaging tests can detect tumors and the stages of development. Your physician might also remove a sample of liver tissue for a closer examination the determines the status of your liver. A written prognosis signed by your doctor gives the SSA an idea about the chance of you making a full recovery.
Test Your Ability to Complete Physical Activities
The SSA is not about sending out letters that describe the reasons why applicants got denied disability benefits. Instead, the SSA wants to find an occupation that allows you to work while you fight back against liver cancer.
You have a better chance of overturning a liver cancer denied disability claim if you complete a Residual Functional Capacity (RFC) assessment.
For liver cancer, an RFC can include several tests that measure your stamina. Between the disease itself and the treatments used to eradicate tumors, you might feel lethargic all the time.
Act with a Sense of Urgency
Although you might feel down about a liver cancer diagnosis, the fact remains that you have to brush yourself off and file an appeal for consideration before the deadline.
You have 60 days after receiving a denied Social Security with liver cancer letter to file an appeal for reconsideration. Missing the deadline means you have to file a new claim for Social Security disability benefits.
By working with a Social Security attorney, you file your appeal for reconsideration before the deadline, as well as file an appeal that includes more convincing medical evidence.
Schedule a free case evaluation today with a disability lawyer.
