It’s difficult to stay indoors and out of the sun when you live in Daytona Beach. Construction workers, lifeguards, and motorcyclists spend hours in the sun and can become quite sick because of it. Skin cancer can creep up on anyone, but those who spend time outside are at risk for developing the potentially life-threatening disease.

When Skin Cancer Stops You From Working

Although a majority of skin cancers are not debilitating and are easily managed, the most severe cases are not. Certain cancers can cause patients to become so sick they can’t work. When that happens, they may qualify to receive Social Security benefits. However, not all cancer patients will qualify, and whether they do or not mostly depends on the type of cancer they have. On the other hand, some people qualify immediately for Social Security, and to do that with skin cancer, you must have:

  • Sarcoma or carcinoma that has spread beyond the local lymph nodes
  • Melanoma that has spread to nearby skin or distant sites
  • Melanoma that comes back even after the cancer and skin around the cancer has been removed
  • Melanoma that has spread to a lymph node that is clinically apparent or to four or more lymph nodes

Those who don’t meet the qualifications to receive help immediately may get Social Security if they meet these other requirements:

  • You are unable to work any type of job. If you can prove that your cancer has made working in any field impossible, you may be able to receive help.
  • Your impairments “equal” a listing. Social Security creates listings for each disease, and skin cancer is one of them. However, if your cancer doesn’t meet the listing exactly, you won’t qualify. Fortunately, if you have impairments that are similar to another listing, you could receive Social Security under that listing.

Let Us Help You During This Uncertain Time

If qualifying for Social Security sounds confusing to you, you’re not alone. Instead of attempting to figure it out by yourself, enlist the help of someone who is well-versed in Social Security and has your best interests in mind. The attorneys of Johnson and Gilbert have helped many in the Daytona Beach area get the benefits they needed, and may be able to do the same for you.

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