Although it’s true that there are long-term disability benefits available for employees who get cancer, LTD claims for cancer aren’t always approved.
Modern medicine has come a long way as far as cancer treatments are concerned, but unfortunately, we have yet to develop an actual cure for cancer. If your cancer is preventing you from completing your duties at work, you may qualify for long-term disability benefits, but whether or not your claim is approved largely depends on your long-term disability insurance policy and the severity of your cancer.
Your chances of getting benefits based on the stages of cancer:
- During stage 1 cancer, the abnormal growth of cells is confined to just one part of the body. Because stage 1 cancer can sometimes be surgically removed (depending on the location), people with stage 1 cancer who file long-term disability claims rarely get their benefits.
- In stage 2 cancer, the cancer is growing and it is either still localized or it has started to spread to lymph nodes nearby. In stage 3 cancer, the cancer has started to spread to further lymph nodes. Because stage 2 and 3 cancers are usually accompanied by troubling symptoms, like fever, weakness, pain, headaches, fatigue and nausea, you may be able to get long-term disability benefits.
- During stage 4 cancer, the cancer starts to spread beyond the lymph nodes and into other parts of the body. Stage 4 cancer often is accompanied by severe symptoms that make it easier for your long-term disability claim to be accepted.
The stages of cancer are just one of the way to understand how long-term disability claims are denied and approved. Stay tuned for our next blog to learn more about long-term disability benefits and cancer from our long-term disability attorney in Louisville.
