Some special circumstances and processes take place when someone applies for Social Security Disability (SSD), and they have been diagnosed with a terminal illness, but this is something that a lot of applicants do not know. In fact, there are a lot of half-truths, misconceptions, and misconstrued bits of information floating around about SSD and terminal illness applicants. If you are in the unfortunate position of having a terminal illness and you are applying for your SSD, it is best for you to get an attorney and get the facts. Here's a look at some of the most common misconceptions about applying for SSD with a terminal illness.
Misconception: Terminal illness applications for SSD are always automatically approved.
Fact: Even though you have been diagnosed with a terminal illness, your SSD application will still have to go through the same approval steps as anyone else with a regular disability. However, some differences are important to note. For example, your application will be pushed through the process much faster than someone without a terminal illness, and it is highly unlikely that you will have to ever contend with a denial or a court hearing in your case.
Misconception: There are only certain terminal illnesses that get rushed through the approval process.
Fact: Pretty much all terminal illnesses, no matter how different they may be, are treated the same by the Social Security Administration. If it is an illness that is expected to eventually cause loss of life, it will be recognized as a terminal illness. There is no differentiation between one illness and another during the determination of whether an application should be rushed through the approval process. For example, someone who has terminal cancer will have a rushed application just the same as someone who has congestive heart failure.
Misconception: There's no need for an attorney if you have a terminal illness.
Fact: It is always recommended that you at least consult with a Social Security disability attorney even if you feel pretty confident that your claim will be approved because of your diagnosis with a terminal illness. If something happens to slow down the process, such as your illness not being recognized as terminal because of improper documentation to prove the situation from your doctor, you will want an attorney on your side to do all the legwork, so you don't have to waste your time.
Share6 April 2018
