Facts about Hodgkin's Lymphoma and Filing for DisabilityThese selected pages answer some of the most basic, but also some of the most important, questions for individuals who are considering filing a claim for disability benefits. Facts about the condition 1. Hodgkin's lymphoma is cancer of the cells of the lymphatic system. The abnormality of these cells affects the immune system, ultimately weakening the patient's defense to illness. 2. Hodgkin's lymphoma is over 90 percent curable, especially when caught in its early stages. Those with lymphoma are more likely to have the non-Hodgkin's form, which is not as curable. 3. A large risk factor for Hodgkin's lymphoma is age. Those in the range of early adulthood, around 15-35, and also senior adults, around 55 and older, are the two groups most at risk. 4. Males are also more likely to develop the condition than women. It is also most common in North America and northern Europe, and seems to occur among those with higher socioeconomic status. 5. Symptoms include lymph nodes that are swollen but not painful to touch, fever, fatigue, loss of appetite and dramatic weight loss, coughing and breathing problems, and itching. 6. Since these symptoms are not specific to lymphoma alone, it may be difficult to determine when to see a doctor. The general rule of thumb should be experiencing symptoms for over two weeks or having symptoms that disappear and come back repeatedly. 7. Lymph node symptoms involve the a pattern of ordered progression from one set of lymph nodes to another, and will eventually include all lymph nodes. 8. Those with Hodgkin's lymphoma are at risk for severe infection, due to its adverse effect on the immune system. This is a potential short-term complication of the condition. 9. Potential long-term complications of Hodgkin's lymphoma are primarily associated with treatment (chemotherapy and radiation) side effects. They are cardiovascular and vascular diseases, sterility, thyroid dysfunction and second cancers. 10. References in movies and books have influenced public awareness of Hodgkin's lymphoma. There are also many well-known people who have led public battles with the condition. Qualifying for disability benefits with this condition Whether or not you qualify for disability and, as a result, are approved for disability benefits will depend entirely on the information obtained from your medical records. This includes whatever statements and treatment notes that may have been obtained from your treating physician (a doctor who has a history of treating your condition and is, therefore, qualified to comment as to your condition and prognosis). It also includes discharge summaries from hospital stays, reports of imaging studies (such as xrays, MRIs, and CT scans) and lab panels (i.e. bloodwork) as well as reports from physical therapy. In many disability claims, it may also include the results of a report issued by an independent physician who examines you at the request of the Social Security Administration.
Qualifying for SSD or SSI benefits will also depend on the information obtained from your vocational, or work, history if you are an adult, or academic records if you are a minor-age child. In the case of adults, your work history information will allow a disability examiner (examiners make decisions at the initial claim and reconsideration appeal levels, but not at the hearing level where a judges decides the outcome of the case) to A) classify your past work, B) determine the physical and mental demands of your past work, C) decide if you can go back to a past job, and D) whether or not you have the ability to switch to some type of other work. The important thing to keep in mind is that the social security administration does not award benefits based on simply having a condition, but, instead, will base an approval or denial on the extent to which a condition causes functional limitations. Functional limitations can be great enough to make work activity not possible (or, for a child, make it impossible to engage in age-appropriate activities).
Why are so many disability cases lost at the disability application and reconsideration appeal levels? There are several reasons but here are just two: 1) Social Security makes no attempt to obtain a statement from a claimant's treating physician. By contrast, at the hearing level, a claimant's disability attorney or disability representative will generally obtain and present this type of statement to a judge. Note: it is not enough for a doctor to simply state that their patient is disabled. To satisy Social Security's requirements, the physician must list in what ways and to what extent the individual is functionally limited. For this reason, many representatives and attorneys request that the physician fill out and sign a specialized medical source statement that captures the correct information. Solid Supporting statements from physicians easily make the difference between winning or losing a disability case at the hearing level. 2) Prior to the hearing level, a claimant will not have the opportunity to explain how their condition limits them, nor will their attorney or representative have the opportunity to make a presentation based on the evidence of the case. This is because at the initial levels of the disability system, a disability examiner decides the case without meeting the claimant. The examiner may contact the claimant to gather information on activities of daily living and with regard to medical treatment or past jobs, but usually nothing more. At the hearing level, however, presenting an argument for approval based on medical evidence that has been obtained and submitted is exactly what happens. About the Author: Tim Moore is a former Social Security Disability Examiner in North Carolina, has been interviewed by the NY Times and the LA Times on the disability system, and is an Accredited Disability Representative (ADR) in North Carolina. For assistance on a disability application or Appeal in NC, click here. Most popular topics on SSDRC.com Social Security Disability in North Carolina Common Mistakes to avoid after being denied for Disability Tips to Prepare for Filing for Social Security Disability or SSI Advice to Win SSD and SSI Benefit Claims Social Security Disability SSI Questions What is the difference between Social Security Disability and SSI? How to get disability for depression Getting disability for fibromyalgia SSI disability for children with ADHD What is the Application Process for Social Security Disability and SSI? Social Security Disability SSI Exam tips More Social Security Disability SSI Questions What makes you eligible for Social Security Disability or SSI? Related Body System Impairments: Basal Cell Carcinoma and Filing for Disability Bladder Cancer and Filing for Disability Colon Cancer and Filing for Disability Esophageal Cancer and Filing for Disability Hodgkin's Lymphoma and Filing for Disability Leukemia and Filing for Disability Medullablastoma and Filing for Disability Metastasis and Filing for Disability Melanoma and Filing for Disability Multiple Myeloma and Filing for Disability Non Hodgkins Lymphoma and Filing for Disability Pancreatic Cancer and Filing for Disability Eligibility and Qualifications for Disability in Illinois Disability denial in Illinois, when to get a lawyer |
