It’s no secret that the Social Security Administration is swamped with Social Security Disability claims, and that the majority of those claims are initially denied. This often leads to a long process of appealing the Social Security Administration’s rulings. Even with legal representation, this process can take months or even years before a Social Security Disability claim is resolved.
Only about 30% of Social Security Disability claims are accepted on the first pass. Roughly the same number are eventually approved through the appeals process, with most of those being approved during the hearing before an Administrative Law Judge. While the chances of having a Social Security Disability claim improve dramatically when you are represented by an experienced Social Security Disability lawyer, there are certainly no guarantees within the traditional Social Security Disability system.
In 2008, the Social Security Administration began the Compassionate Allowances program. The purpose of Compassionate Allowances is to allow people who have conditions that automatically qualify for Social Security Disability benefits to move through the system faster. Many of the conditions that qualify for the Compassionate Allowances program are expected to be terminal. Others generally cause the person suffering from them to lose much of their functional capacity quickly.
Because of this, Compassionate Allowances are generally approved in three to four weeks instead of the typical three to six months for most Social Security Disability claims. When approved for Social Security Disability benefits due to a Compassionate allowance, you can expect to start receiving Social Security Disability benefits right away.
Currently, there are 88 distinct medical conditions which are accepted by the Social Security Administration for Compassionate Allowances. More are being considered, and the number of conditions accepted is expected to grow in coming years. Acute Leukemia is the first disease listed on the Social Security Administration’s current list of medical conditions accepted for Compassionate Allowances.
Acute Leukemia-Condition and Symptoms
Leukemia is a form of cancer that causes the body to produce more white blood cells than are needed. Because too many white blood cells are produced, the bone marrow and the blood stream become overwhelmed.
Acute leukemia is a form of leukemia in which the one marrow produces white blood cells which aren’t fully matured. This differs from chronic leukemia, in which the extra blood cells produced are mature. Acute lymphocytic leukemia is a form of acute leukemia, which generally affects children, tending to strike suddenly. Acute myleogenous leukemia is similar, except that too many bone marrow cells are produces, and the victims are more varied in age.
One bright spot for those with acute leukemia is that the symptoms tend to be noticeable fairly early, which often leads to the disease being diagnosed early enough to be treated. These symptoms include pain below the ribs, fatigue, fever, paleness, easy bruising and bleeding, loss of appetite, red spots under the skin, bone and joint pain, and frequent infections. While there is no guaranteed cure for acute leukemia (or any other form of cancer), medical science continues to make advancements in the treatment of the disease, lending hope to those who suffer with it. Another bright spot is that acute leukemia does qualify you for a Compassionate Allowance, allowing you to focus on fighting the disease instead of how you will support your family.
Filing for Social Security Disability with Acute Leukemia
When you or your child has acute leukemia, it’s natural to have some serious concerns regarding your future. In addition to the obvious concerns regarding your health and survival, many people worry about being able to pay the bills while receiving treatment for acute leukemia.
Fortunately, a diagnosis of acute leukemia qualifies you for a Compassionate Allowance, so approval is not an issue as long as your application for Social Security Disability benefits clearly states a diagnosis of acute leukemia and your medical documentation bears this out. If you are not sure about any aspect of the application process, you should consider consulting a qualified Social Security Disability attorney to help you with the claims process.
Your Acute Leukemia Social Security Disability Case
It’s critical that you make sure all forms and applications are filled out properly to ensure that your case is placed for a Compassionate Allowance. Even though having acute leukemia automatically qualifies you for a Compassionate Allowance, you can miss out on you opportunity to start collecting Social Security Disability benefits right away if something is amiss in your paperwork.
The best way to make sure that your paperwork is in order and will be accepted by the SSA on the first pass is to have a professional Social Security Disability lawyer or representative fill it out with you. For more information about the SSA’s Compassionate Allowances program, your acute leukemia disability case, or Social Security disability representation, simply request a free evaluation today.
