If you have been unlucky enough to have been diagnosed with lymphoma, you may not have to suffer financial hardship from being unable to work. You may be eligible to receive Social Security disability benefits (SSDI) from the Social Security Administration (SSA).
If you find this is applicable to you, you should be able to get your medical costs paid, as well as any other expenses you incur on a daily basis. However, the process of confirming your eligibility can be quite complex as the SSA requires documentation that proves you are suffering from lymphoma and you are unable to work.
Criteria for Applying for SSDI Benefits
There are certain criteria used by the SSA to determine if you are eligible. These are both medical disability criteria and non-medical criteria, and they determine if you qualify for Social Security disability (SSDI is the program which is based on work credits). Of the utmost importance is proving you do have a medical disability. Secondly you must have earned adequate work credits to qualify for the SSDI program or, alternatively, your assets and income need to be minimal enough that you qualify for the SSI program.
Medical Documents Needed in Your Application
If your lymphoma prevents you from working for at least twelve months, you must provide medical documentation backed up with evidence that supports your application. The key thing is asking your physician to confirm your diagnosis. This documentation will need to include all the treatment you are currently receiving, the symptoms you are enduring, and the medicine you have been told to take on a regular basis as well a confirmation of your diagnosis through lab results.
You must provide the names, addresses, and phone numbers of all the physicians and health professionals who have been involved in your health care, and this must include hospitals or medical centers you may have attended for treatment.
Other Information You’ll Need
In addition to all the medical documentation, when you submit your application you are required to provide any work records that show you were at some point in time in full time work but due to lymphoma you are now unable to do so.
The SSA will demand you provide a summary of your place(s) of employment and what sort of work you did. Your most recent W-2 form should be included in your application too.
You will need to provide your most recent tax return form, your Social Security number, and your birth certificate if you were self employed.
How a Social Security Attorney Can Help You with Your Application
It may seem like a straightforward process, but there is always a chance your application could be denied. To be on the safe side and be more certain that you will get your entitlements, you should ask a Social Security attorney to work on your behalf.
As Social Security attorneys work on a contingency fee basis, you do not have to pay any legal fees until you have been accepted for benefits by the SSA.
