Pancreatic cancer is one of the most difficult diseases to treat. For many patients, the symptoms are mild during the first couple of phases, which means growing tumors often go undetected. The lack of detection means many pancreatic cancer patients have their symptoms discovered during the advanced stages of the disease.
By this time, symptoms such as massive blood clots, considerable weight loss, and the rapid enlargement of the liver make it impossible to hold down a job, even a part time job that requires just a few hours a week.
In 1935, President Franklin D. Roosevelt implemented many programs to combat the negative economic impact of The Great Depression. One of the most important moves made by Roosevelt was to create the Social Security Administration (SSA).
The SSA is responsible for reviewing applications for disability insurance, as well as paying out retirement benefits based on a career in the American workforce. The key to receiving Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is to submit a convincing disability application.
Medical Documents are the Key
The more valid medical documents you submit with a disability application, the better the chances of having your application approved by the SSA. The federal agency wants to see evidence of how much you had to pay for diagnosing, treating, and rehabilitating the side effects triggered by pancreatic cancer.
You should submit the name of every doctor that treated you, as well as every clinic and hospital where you stayed during recovery from an operation or a medical procedure. You also need to provide the SSA with the names and addresses of every medical facility. Sending the SSA physician notes is an especially effective tactic, as it demonstrates that your doctor has more to say than simply confirming you were a patient.
Medication costs can run incredibly high for treating the symptoms of pancreatic cancer. Jaundice, which is the debilitating yellowing of the eyes and skin, requires a steady dose of therapeutic drugs to at the very least alleviate the symptoms.
Make sure to attach every pharmacy prescription bill to the disability application to recover the costs of paying for expensive medicines. Your Social Security lawyer can help you organize all the paperwork needed to present a compelling disability case.
Other Information Required by the SSA
To process your disability application, the SSA needs to reference your Social Security number. You might be surprised to learn that many disability applications never see the light inside of the SSA building because of an incorrect Social Security number.
A simple mistake such as putting down the wrong number in any of the nine spaces can lead to the denial of your disability application. Other information to submit with medical documents include your birth certificate and a summary that describes where you work, as well as the title of your job.
Hire a State Licensed Social Security Lawyer
Time is of the essence for filing a successful disability application. By working with an attorney who specializes in handling disability cases, you can rest assured your legal counsel will file the proper paperwork before every deadline. Your disability advocate will also gather enough valid and quality evidence to make a persuasive case that you deserve compensation for suffering from pancreatic cancer.
Schedule a free initial consultation with a Social Security attorney to learn about the disability application process.
