Achieving Disability For Sarcomas: Bone & Tissue

The journey of facing sarcoma is one filled with profound challenges, emotional turmoil, and life-altering decisions. The weight of this rare and often aggressive form of cancer can feel overwhelming.

Below we will explore the intricacies of sarcoma and the process of securing disability benefits.

What Is Sarcoma?

Sarcoma is a relatively uncommon type of cancer that develops in the body’s tissues. These tissues include fat, blood vessels, nerves, bones, muscles, deep skin tissues, and cartilage.

Unlike more common cancers, sarcomas can appear in almost any part of the body. This makes them particularly challenging to detect and treat.

Sarcomas are broadly classified into two categories:

• Bone sarcomas: These affect the hard tissues of the body, such as the skeleton.
• Soft tissue sarcomas: This includes the types of soft tissues like muscles, fat, and blood vessels.

Each type of sarcoma behaves differently, with varied symptoms and responses to treatment. The aggressive nature of some sarcomas means they can spread to other parts of the body. This spread, known as metastasis, often complicates treatment and a person’s quality of life.

How Is Sarcoma Diagnosed?

Diagnosing sarcoma is a complex process that typically involves several steps:

• Medical History Evaluation
  • Doctors will ask about symptoms, family history, and any potential risk factors.
  • Is Sarcoma Hereditary? It can be hereditary, like many other cancers. Knowing this can help a patient and medical professional sometimes diagnose this cancer earlier on.
• Physical Examination
  • A complete physical exam can find lumps, swelling, or other issues that could mean there is a tumor.
• Imaging Tests
  • Various imaging techniques play a crucial role in locating tumors and determining their size and extent. These may include:
    • X-rays
    • CT (Computed Tomography) scans
    • MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) scans
    • PET (Positron Emission Tomography) scans

• Biopsy
  • A definitive diagnosis requires a biopsy, where a sample of the suspicious tissue is taken for analysis. There are two main types of biopsies:
    • Core needle biopsy
      • A less invasive option where a thin needle is used to extract a small tissue sample.
  • Surgical biopsy
    • A more extensive procedure where a larger portion or the entire tumor is removed for analysis.

Early diagnosis is key to improving outcomes for sarcoma patients. Unfortunately, sarcomas are rare because they are difficult to diagnose. Early-stage sarcomas often don’t cause noticeable symptoms. This can lead to a delayed diagnosis, which allows the condition to become disabling in later stages.

How Is Sarcoma Disabling?

• Depending on the location and size of the tumor, sarcomas can cause significant pain, swelling, and reduced mobility
• Both the cancer itself and its treatments can cause extreme fatigue
• Sarcoma treatments, including surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy, often come with significant side effects. These can include:
  • Weakened immune system, increasing susceptibility to infections
  • Nausea and vomiting
  • Hair loss
  • Nerve damage (neuropathy)
  • Cognitive impairments are sometimes referred to as “chemo brain”

• Long-term complications involving chronic pain, reduced stamina, or the need for prosthetics or mobility aids

These factors, individually or combined, can severely impact a person’s ability to work. With help from a disability lawyer and proof, someone with Sarcoma can get disability benefits.

Gathering Evidence For Your Disability Application

To build a strong disability claim for sarcoma, comprehensive documentation is essential. Here’s what you and a disability lawyer should gather for your claim:

• Medical Records
  • Pathology reports from biopsies
  • Imaging study results (X-rays, CT scans, MRIs, PET scans)
  • Treatment plans and medication lists
  • Surgical reports, if applicable

• Physician Statements
  • Your diagnosis and prognosis
  • Specific physical limitations resulting from your condition
  • Expected duration of these limitations
  • How your condition affects your ability to work

• Treatment Documentation
  • Dates and types of chemotherapy or radiation therapy sessions
  • Side effects experienced and their impact on daily life
  • Any hospitalizations or emergency room visits related to your condition
• Personal Statements
  • Specific tasks you can no longer perform
  • How your condition has impacted your work
  • Changes in your lifestyle and relationships
• Work History
  • A comprehensive work history
  • Highlights of how your sarcoma has affected your ability to work
• Supportive Statements
  • Statements from colleagues and supervisors
  • Testimonials from family members, friends, or caregivers

How A Disability Lawyer Can Help

Navigating the disability claims process while dealing with sarcoma can be overwhelming. A disability lawyer can help you with the application or appeal process. Here’s how it works with a disability law firm:

1. First, the lawyer will evaluate how strong your case is and find any weaknesses that need to be fixed.
2. All necessary medical evidence will be collected and presented effectively.
3. If you haven’t started or just started your disability application, an attorney will review it. All information will be analyzed and edited for accuracy.
4. After you apply, a disability lawyer can talk to the Social Security Administration for you.
5. If your claim is denied, a disability lawyer can help you appeal. They can represent you at hearings to fight for benefits.

Schedule Your Consultation With Grundy Disability Group

Don’t let the complexities of the disability claims process add to your burden.

Understanding your rights when dealing with a sarcoma diagnosis is crucial. Grundy Disability Group helps individuals with complex medical conditions like sarcoma navigate the disability claims process.

Together, we can work towards securing the support you need. Contact us to schedule a claim consultation.