At some point during a lifetime, one out of seven men receive a diagnosis for prostate cancer. As one of the most discussed forms of cancers, prostate cancer can wreak havoc on the body in its advanced stage. The disease gets to be impossible to deal with at work, which leads to a patient losing a substantial amount of wages. How do workers recover the money lost because of prostate cancer? The answer is one of the most critically claimed laws to come out of Washington, D.C.
Enacted by the United States Congress in 1956, Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) represents the cornerstone benefits program run by the Social Security Administration (SSA). SSDI compensates applicants that qualify for benefits.
How the SSA Makes SSDI Decisions
The SSA follows a series of guidelines for reviewing SSDI applications. As the most important resource for determining SSDI eligibility, the Blue Book lists hundreds of medical conditions for both adults and children that might qualify applicants for benefits. Fourteen categories cover most of the common medical conditions recognized by the American Medical Association (AMA).
According to section 13.24 of the Blue Book, an applicant qualifies for SSDI benefits covering prostate cancer if the disease is advancing or has returned after a period of dormancy. The tumors must have spread to other organs as well. Early or intermediate symptoms might not make an applicant eligible for financial compensation.
The Application Process
Several sections within an SSDI application deserve your utmost focus and attention. Not only is the information you write down important, supporting evidence that demonstrates you suffer from prostate cancer should accompany the application. A team of healthcare and vocational specialists conduct an exhaustive review of SSDI applications, with an emphasis on linking an illness or an injury to the ability to perform work at the expected level.
You should submit the diagnostic reports signed by your oncologist, as well as progress reports that demonstrate the cancer has advanced into other organs, Results of a digital rectal examination (DRE) provides the case reviewers at the SSA with substantiated evidence. You should also send significant blood lab tests, such as PSA levels that should register above 4.0 ng/ml.
How to Submit Your SSDI Application
In addition to submitting a detailed and an accurate SSDI application, you also have to decide how to submit the application. The United States Postal Service (USPS) is one option, but sending your application via snail mail runs the risk of having the application misplaced or worse, lost. Applying in person allows you to receive confirmation that your information is in the SSA system. However, submitting an SSDI application online at the SSA website represents by far the best submission option. Instead of paperwork attached to a written application, you simply send the SSA digital photo copies of every document that supports your SSDI claim.
Contact a Disability Attorney
The submission process for SSDI benefits can be a long and often gut wrenching process. After all, your financial future is on the line because of the inability to hold down a full-time job. By working with disability lawyer, you may rest assured that you submit the most persuasive claim possible. Your attorney can also keep track of the status of your case and even help push your application through the SSA system faster.
Schedule a free initial consultation with a disability attorney to ensure your SSDI application covers all the legal bases.
