A cancer diagnosis can be life-altering. You may unable to work depending on the severity of your condition. If you were employed full-time leading up to your diagnosis, then the best-case scenario is that your employer has been making Social Security deductions from your paycheck all of these years. If that’s the case, then most likely you’ve paid into the system enough to qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI).
If you’ve been working in a freelance capacity and have been paying your own self-employment taxes, then it’s likely that you’ve been paying into the system too.
SSDI is not a needs-based program in the sense that the lower-income you are, the better chance you have of qualifying for benefits. An individual does need to have a condition that meets the Social Security Administration’s (SSA) limited definition of a disability to qualify for SSDI though.
The word disability is broadly defined by the SSA. It doesn’t only apply to a physical impairment that may prevent someone from working in any role, but can be an illness such as Lou Gehrig’s Disease (ALS), cancer and another debilitating conditions. Any condition that significantly impacts a person’s ability to hold down a job may qualify them to receive benefits provided that it’s listed on the SSA’s Listing of Impairments.
Applying for SSDI and having your file reviewed can generally take a long time. The review of your application can be fast-tracked if you have been diagnosed with certain terminal conditions such as cancer or ALS though.
If you’ve been diagnosed with cancer, then you may not feel well enough to work. The untimeliness of your diagnosis may put you in vulnerable financial straits. An attorney can aid you in applying for benefits so that you can start to receive your much-needed financial support right now here in Oklahoma City.