Long Term Disability Law Blog
Attorneys Dell & Schaefer have helped thousands of people with disabilities such as Cancer to collect short and long term disability benefits. Contact us for a free immediate consultation with one of our nationwide attorneys.
Our disability insurance attorneys have represented hundreds of disability insurance claimants that have been diagnosed with cancer and become disabled by the fatigue caused by cancer and cancer treatments. Unfortunately, many disability insurance companies set short time periods for cancer recovery and expect that everyone will return to work within standard recovery times. The truth is that everyone reacts differently to cancer treatments and the side effects of treatment can be disabling for extended periods of time.
Our disability attorneys have helped thousands claimants with the application for disability benefits and denial of long term disability insurance benefits as a result of cancer. Our lawyers always provide a free consultation and review of your disability insurance claim. The American Cancer Society has stated the following facts about Cancer and Fatigue:
“Cancer-related fatigue is the most common side effect of cancer and cancer treatment. Research suggests that anywhere between 70% and 100% of cancer patients getting treatment have fatigue. And about 30% to 50% of cancer survivors have said that their fatigue lasts for months or even years after they finish treatment.
Fatigue can last a long time and can affect your mood, employment, daily routines, self-care, recreation, relationships, and your sense of self. Doctors don’t always know exactly what’s causing a person’s fatigue. Cancer itself can cause fatigue directly by spreading to the bone marrow, causing anemia (uh-nee-me-uh, a low red blood cell count). Or it can cause fatigue indirectly, by forming toxic substances in the body that change the way normal cells work.
Fatigue is also a common side effect of many cancer treatments, like chemotherapy, radiation, stem cell transplant, and immunotherapy. Cancer treatments often kill fast-growing healthy cells, especially the cells in the bone marrow that make blood. This causes fatigue because red blood cells carry oxygen to fuel all the cells in the body. Too few red blood cells (anemia) means too little energy to meet the body’s needs. Treatments kill normal cells and cancer cells, which leads to a build-up of cell waste. The body needs extra energy to clean up this waste and repair damaged tissue.
Fatigue is different for every cancer patient. Many treatment-related and disease-related factors have been linked to fatigue, but doctors still don’t know exactly what causes cancer-related fatigue. Doctors, nurses, social workers, physical therapists, nutritionists, and a number of others might all be involved in treating your fatigue. Education and counseling can also be part of helping you learn how to save energy, reduce stress, and distract yourself from the fatigue.”
The American Cancer provides the following information and resources on their website:
Fatigue http://www.cancer.org/treatment/treatmentsandsideeffects/physicalsideeffects/fatigue/index
American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS):
http://www.cancer.org/Resources/76778.pdf
American Medical Association (AMA):
http://www.cancer.org/Resources/76637.pdf
American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO):
http://www.cancer.org/Resources/76871.pdf
Feel free to call Attorneys Dell & Schaefer at 800-828-7583 to discuss your disability insurance claim.