Are You Eligible for Social Security Disability If You Have Kidney Cancer?

Kidney cancer rarely develops before age 45. While it is most common among people over 64 (many of whom are ineligible for Social Security disability benefits because they can receive Social Security retirement benefits), it also impacts people who are 45-64 and in their prime earning years. If you have been diagnosed with kidney cancer and you are not yet eligible for Social Security retirement benefits, you need to know if Social Security disability may be an option for you.

Do You Qualify?

You may qualify for Social Security disability benefits in one of three ways. You may qualify if:

• You meet the requirements of Section 13.21 in the Listing of Impairments. If your kidney cancer is inoperable, unresectable, recurrent, or has metastasized to or beyond the regional lymph nodes, you may be eligible for benefits pursuant to this listing.
• Your condition is equal in severity to another listing in the Listing of Impairments. If your condition has the same effect on your body and your ability to work as another listing in the Blue Book Listing of Impairments, you may be eligible for benefits.
• You are unable to work because of your kidney cancer. Even if your condition is not included in or equal in severity to a listing in the Listing of Impairments, you may be eligible for Social Security disability benefits if you can prove that your residual functional capacity leaves you unable to engage in substantial gainful activity.

If you can prove your eligibility in any one of these ways, you may be eligible for benefits.

Be Prepared Before You Apply

The majority of initial Social Security disability applications are denied. You can help prevent this from happening to you by making sure that you have the right medical documentation, details about your work history, and other information requested by the Social Security Administration.

A board-certified Social Security disability attorney can make sure that your application is complete and easy to understand before it is submitted. To learn more about how to protect your rights, please contact us today through this website or by phone. Let’s schedule a meeting and discuss your options so that you can get the benefits that you’ve earned through your years of work.

by Paul B. Burkhalter
Managing Partner of Morgan & Weisbrod, Board Certified in Social Security Disability Law.

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