Cancer can certainly qualify as a disability if you’re seeking benefits. It can have a drastic impact on your life. Additionally, the definition of a disability through the Social Security Administration is one that is going to last for a year or the rest of someone’s life. This is easily possible with cancer of many types, even if it’s treatable.
Naturally, the first way that cancer becomes a disability is when the condition itself is so severe that someone can no longer work. A worker who has a brain tumor may suffer from debilitating headaches, for example. They could experience weight loss, fatigue, and other such issues. There are also mild types of cancer, such as some skin cancer, that won’t bring about these severe symptoms. But it certainly is possible and does happen with a lot of more severe or advanced types of cancer.
The treatment can also be a problem
Additionally, the second way that cancer can become a disability is when the treatment itself causes some of these drawbacks. For example, people who are getting chemotherapy may experience:
- Nausea and vomiting
- Fatigue
- Nerve damage
- Stomach pain
- Muscle pain
- Headaches
- Hair loss
- Sores
- Constipation or diarrhea
- Blood disorders
They certainly need to get this treatment. It can be life-saving when administered properly, especially if the cancer is caught early. But chemotherapy is also incredibly hard on the human body. Someone may no longer be able to work specifically because they’re being treated for cancer, not just because they have cancer in the first place.
For either reason, they may begin looking into disability benefits. It’s important to know what legal steps to take to seek proper benefits.