One out of every eight women in the U.S. will be diagnosed with an invasive breast cancer during her lifetime. According to the American Cancer Society, 268,600 new cases of the disease will be diagnosed in 2019 alone. Sometimes the cancer is so far advanced or aggressive that the patient is unable to perform basic daily activities, let alone work for a living.
Sometimes the cancer is caught early and treatment is effective, but the treatments themselves, such as chemotherapy and radiation can be devastating to an individual and cause nausea, fatigue, and aches and pains leaving them unable to work and earn a living while the treatment process is underway. There are different kinds of breast cancer, and some of these cancers are more aggressive than others, so that will also affect your ability to work or perform routine tasks.
The more aggressive cancers are on the list for the Compassionate Allowances Program (CAP), which allows for faster approval of your claim. If you can provide supporting paperwork and your cancer is on the CAP list, then you can start receiving benefits in just a few weeks while many claims take months for approval.
Breast Cancer And Your Ability To Perform Physical Work
When dealing with breast cancer, the Social Security Administration (SSA) will review the specific kind of cancer you have, such as small cell or large cell, as well as whether the cancer has spread or metastasized, and the stage of the cancer, which is used to determine its severity. It is wise to consult with a disability lawyer early on after your diagnosis, so you can determine the best way to proceed with your claim and you can determine if you may qualify for disability benefits.
The SSA will consider to the level or degree that your breast cancer impairs your ability to work and earn a living. Cancer is often very treatable depending on the kind of breast cancer and how early it was caught, but the treatments themselves can be debilitating. Also, the diagnosis can lead to anxiety, stress, and mental anguish. You should take note of those and make sure all your conditions and limitations are considered.
Breast cancer may require surgical intervention, and that would affect your ability to push, pull, and lift. Because of the treatments, your ability to stand or sit for lengthy timeframes can be challenging, and the stress, anxiety, and mental anguish could make working with others in a team environment virtually impossible. Make sure that all the restrictions and limitations regarding your ability to perform work that is repetitive or physically demanding is noted in your supporting documentation and medical records.
Breast Cancer And Your Ability To Perform Sedentary Work
The least strenuous kind of work is referred to as sedentary work. This work often involves repetitive tasks that requires interaction with others and may require manual dexterity. Many women with breast cancer who are suffering from anxiety and mental anguish because of the condition and who are undergoing treatments regularly are not able to perform any kind of work successfully.
You should make certain that all your restrictions regarding your ability to perform repetitive tasks, detailed work, and work that involves working with others are thoroughly documented in your medical file and can be reviewed when you apply for Social Security Disability benefits.
To be approved for disability benefits, your restrictions and limitations must make it impossible for you to work and earn a living. While you can represent yourself, having a disability attorney on your side will increase your chances of a successful disability claim. Schedule a free case evaluation today, so you can determine the best way to proceed with your disability claim for breast cancer.
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