Qualifying for Disability Benefits (SSDI) with Thyroid Cancer in New Jersey

The Social Security Administration (SSA) offers monthly disability benefits for New Jersey residents with serious medical conditions, including thyroid cancer. If you have been diagnosed with thyroid cancer, you may qualify to receive benefits from the SSA. For example, you could be eligible for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), which is available for disabled individuals who have work histories. Other types of benefits, which are not dependent on having an employment history, may be available for children and teenagers diagnosed with thyroid cancer.

Whether you are applying for SSDI benefits for yourself, or on behalf of your son or daughter, the New Jersey disability lawyers of Young, Marr & Associates are here to make the process easier. We can also help you dispute claims that have already been denied, representing you aggressively at SSA hearings. With more than 30 years of experience handling disability hearings and SSDI applications in New Jersey, our skilled and compassionate legal team is ready to fight for your family. Contact us online to set up a free legal consultation, or call the law offices of Young, Marr & Associates at (215) 515-2954 today.

Eligibility for Social Security Disability Benefits (SSDI)

You may be eligible for SSDI benefits if you meet certain criteria established by the SSA. Some of these criteria are medical in nature, while others involve your employment history.

In terms of your employment history, you must have earned an adequate number of “work credits” over the course of your lifetime. Most applicants need 40 work credits, though the precise number varies depending on birth year and other factors. Up to four work credits per year may be earned. You earn work credits by working at jobs that are covered by Social Security, paying into FICA taxes. Applicants without employment histories, such as children, may qualify for other types of benefits.

In addition to earning work credits through past employment, you must also be severely disabled and unable to work because of your medical condition. If you are working and earning income above a certain threshold, the SSA will not consider you disabled because you are participating in “substantial gainful activity” (SGA). Finally, your condition must have lasted or be expected to last for at least one year.

Can You Get SSDI Benefits for Thyroid Cancer in New Jersey?

If you meet the criteria described above, you may be eligible for monthly SSDI benefits. To evaluate applicants medically, the SSA uses a document called the “Listing of Impairments” (or colloquially, the “Blue Book”). This document:

• Lists the medical conditions that are eligible for disability
• Describes the medical criteria by which each condition is evaluated

However, you do not need to match the requirements contained in the Blue Book to qualify; you only need to “equal” them. That means as long as your condition is severely disabling and you meet other eligibility criteria, you can potentially receive benefits.

What is the Maximum SSDI Amount for 2019?

Each year, the maximum SSDI benefit increases to account for inflation. The maximum monthly benefit for 2019 is approximately $2,861. The average monthly SSDI payment is closer to around $1,234, with most claimants receiving a benefit somewhere the range of $800 to $1,800. If you qualify, the amount you receive depends primarily on how much income you earned prior to becoming disabled. It’s also important to keep in mind that, if you are already receiving disability benefits from other sources, your SSDI payments may be reduced accordingly.

New Jersey SSDI Lawyers for Thyroid Cancer Patients with Disability Claims

A serious medical condition like thyroid cancer can keep you out of work for a prolonged period, placing you under increasing financial strain. However, disability benefits may be available to you if you cannot work due to thyroid cancer or chemotherapy. If you or your child has been diagnosed with thyroid cancer, you should discuss your eligibility for SSDI benefits with an experienced disability lawyer in Marlton, New Jersey, like the attorneys at Young, Marr & Associates. To set up a free consultation, call our law offices 24 hours at (215) 515-2954, or contact us online today.