Disability insurance attorneys Gregory Dell and Rachel Alters discuss the challenges insurance companies impose on disability claimants who are diagnosed with cancer, receive treatment, and then are “cancer free” but are still unable to work and need disability insurance benefits. Until someone faces cancer themselves or has a close loved one who goes through it, many people have the mistaken idea that when cancer has been beaten and they are told they are NED – no evidence of disease – that they are cured and life goes back to normal.

However, this is far from the truth and often times does not work out so nice and neatly, especially if a survivor is seeking disability insurance benefits. Cancer battles are often long and hard and even after they are deemed cancer-free, many patients continue treatments to ensure cancer stays gone. These treatments are often times almost as bad as or even worse than the treatments used to initially fight their cancer and kill it the first time. Long-term use of chemotherapy drugs, immunotherapy treatments, radiation, and other means of controlling cancer recurrence can take a huge toll on the body.

It is the lingering effects of this treatment and ongoing battle that often renders disability insurance claimants disabled. Side effects of treatments and a prolonged battle for their very lives often leave cancer patients suffering from depression and anxiety, chronic pain and fatigue, nerve damage, mental changes, and memory issues, permanently weakened immune systems, and even permanent damage to treatment area such as lungs, brain, stomach, and more. It is these lingering effects that can often remain for the rest of the patient’s life rendering them disabled, even though they have won the battle against cancer disability claimants need their long term disability benefits.

Although a disability insurance claimant may be cancer free, many cancer treatments cause disability conditions that prevent a policyholder from working. Our nationwide disability insurance attorneys have represented thousands of disabled claimants with their claims for short-term disability, long-term disability, or long-term care benefits against every major disability insurance company. We do not charge any fees or costs unless we are able to recover benefits and we are committed to fighting for you to help you win your disability claim and get the help you need after your fight with cancer!