When Can I Receive Delaware Disability Benefits for Cancer?
Cancer is a diagnosis no one wants to receive and can make life harder when you are unable to work as a result. Do not lose hope if you are unable to work because of the limitations and challenges caused by your cancer. Depending on the type of cancer you have and the prognosis, you could be eligible to receive Delaware disability benefits. Talk to a Delaware Disability Attorney to learn more.
WHO RECEIVES DELAWARE DISABILITY BENEFITS FOR CANCER?
Not all cancers will be eligible for Delaware cancer disability benefits. Cancers that are mild to moderate or expected to be resolved in under 12 months are usually not covered by disability benefits, but severe and life-threatening cancers are. You can save yourself a lot of time by checking your eligibility for the SSA compassionate allowance program.
The compassionate allowance program is a fast-track path to disability benefits that automatically takes your disability application to the next level of review if your cancer 
meets certain requirements. These requirements include cancers that are deemed inoperable by your doctor, reoccurring cancers, and cancers that have spread. If your cancer does not meet any of these requirements, then you can also speed up your application process by looking for your cancer in the SSA Blue Book.
If your cancer diagnosis matches one of the cancer disability listings in the SSA Blue Book, then your disability application will likely be processed faster. When your cancer diagnosis does not match any listings, you may have to undergo additional medical exams, Delaware disability consultative exams, and interviews.
Depending on how the SSA feels about the evidence you submit, they may ask your doctor to fill out functional report forms. These forms detail all the limitations caused by the type of cancer you have. The key is to list what prevents you from working.
WHAT DELAWARE DISABILITY BENEFITS ARE THERE?
There two main programs offered by the SSA called Delaware Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) that might be able to help you afford your living expenses when your cancer prevents you from working. However, these programs come with different eligibility requirements to fit different circumstances.
If you have a long work history with enough work credits paid into Social Security, then you may qualify for the SSDI program, a program that offers monthly income for people who cannot work. When you can still work to earn some monthly income and you do not have enough work credits, you will not likely qualify for SSDI. This is when you can turn to SSI, a program that offers additional monthly income for people with low incomes and few financial resources.
DISABILITY ATTORNEY IN DELAWARE
You may not have to struggle with financial problems if your cancer has caused problems at work. Try talking with a Disability Lawyer in Delaware if your disability application was rejected or delayed. Call Edelstein Martin & Nelson at (302) 295-5050 for a free consultation today. Our team of Delaware disability attorneys can be found in Wilmington, DE and will work with you to build a strong disability claim.
