There are a number of reasons that the Social Security Administration (SSA) could be taking a while to process your application. If you have been waiting longer than 30 days without a response to your application, the SSA may be waiting for additional medical evidence that can help them make a decision in your case.

Why the Decision May Be Delayed

Here are a few reasons patients with lymphoma may have to wait longer than others do to receive benefits:

  • Stabilization period. If your lymphoma is considered non-aggressive, the SSA may believe that your condition can be controlled with treatment, making it less likely that your disability application will be approved. However, some lymphomas have intermittent symptoms and complications that make it difficult for you to work. In order to gauge the level of your disability, the SSA may defer its decision on your case until your disease has been stabilized to the point where it can judge your level of impairment.
  • Treatment changes. In most cases, doctors will opt to modify treatments for lymphoma if the recommended therapy isn’t working. However, not all changes in medication are a result of worsening condition. If you or your doctor at Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha chose to change your therapy, you should explain to the SSA why the change was made and how it affects your condition.
  • Recurrent conditions. If you have a recurring case of Hodgkin's disease that resurfaces more than a year after completing initial anti-neoplastic therapy, the SSA will consider your diagnosis as a new disease rather than a recurrence.

It is vital that you continue to send the SSA information about changes in your condition while you wait for your benefits approval. If you need help gathering medical evidence in your case, call us at (402) 933 5405 or send us an email at [email protected] or click the link on this page to read our free informational guide, Why You Should Hire an Attorney to Handle Your Social Security Disability Claim.

Sean D. Cuddigan
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SSA and VA Disability Attorney in Omaha, Nebraska