February is gallbladder and bile duct cancer awareness month. If you’ve been diagnosed with gallbladder and bile duct cancer and you can’t work because of it you may be eligible for Social Security disability benefits.
Anyone that has worked in the past but can’t work now because of an illness and expects that they won’t be able to work for at least a year can apply for disability benefits.
What is Gallbladder and Bile Duct Cancer?
Gallbladder and bile duct cancer is also known as cholangiocarcinoma. About 12,000 people per year are diagnosed with gallbladder and bile duct cancer.
When someone gets gallbladder and bile duct cancer the cancer starts in the bile ducts of the liver and in the tissues of the gallbladder. Then they spread outwards to the liver and other parts of the body. Symptoms of gallbladder and bile duct cancer include:
- Jaundice
- Palpable mass in the right upper quadrant
- Periumbilical lymphadenopathy
- Left supraclavicular adenopathy
- Unexplained weight loss
- Abdominal pain; Fever, nausea, and vomiting
- Bloating
- Anorexia
When you apply for disability benefits due to gallbladder and bile duct cancer make sure to include all of your medical records that are relevant to the cancer.
You will need to submit medical records to show that you meet the SSA’s Blue Book requirements.
How Does Gallbladder and Bile Duct Cancer Qualify For Disability Benefits?
Every condition that qualifies someone to receive disability benefits is listed in the SSA’s Blue Book. When you apply for Social Security disability benefits you need to show that you meet those requirements before your application will be approved.
The Blue Book requirements for qualifying for benefits with gallbladder and bile duct cancer are found in listing 13.19 which just states that cancer must be diagnosed in the gallbladder, liver, or bile ducts.
If your gallbladder and bile duct cancer is diagnosed when it’s already in a late stage you may qualify for the Compassionate Allowance program.
If you have a medical condition that is on the Compassionate Allowance list like a late stage cancer your application for benefits is processed quickly so that you can start receiving benefits quickly once you are approved.
So as long as you have a letter of diagnosis from a doctor and supporting medical records you should be approved for Social Security disability benefits. Some of the medical records that you should submit with your application are:
- Ultrasound exam
- Blood tests including liver function tests, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) assay, and CA 19-9 assay
- CT scan; chest x-ray
- MRI
- MRA
- PTC
- Endoscopy
- Biopsy
- Laparoscopy
If you have questions about what medical evidence you should include or about filling out the application for disability benefits the best thing to do is get help with your application.
Get Help With Your Disability Claim
The medical evidence that you submit with your application will play a big part in whether or not your application is approved the first time or not.
A great way to make sure that your application is solid is to talk with a lawyer that specializes in disability cases before submitting your application.
A lawyer that works on disability cases can help you fill out the application, answer your questions, and provide guidance when it comes to what medical records you should include.
Complete the Free Case Evaluation on this page to get connected with an independent, participating attorney who subscribes to the website.
