Social Security Disability Attorney in Las Vegas
400 S. 4th Street, Suite 500
Las Vegas, NV 89101
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Social Security Lawyers in Las Vegas
If you’re not able to work because you were diagnosed with a medical condition that’s expected to impact you for a year or longer, you might be entitled to disability benefits to pay your expenses.
Not being able to work might represent a huge change in your life, and there are government programs to help you if you end up in this position. However, it’s not always easy to apply for these benefits. An experienced attorney at Morgan & Morgan understands the difficulties and hurdles of the disability benefits application and approval process. While tending to your disability and medical treatments, you can leave the legal side of things to us.
To get started, contact us today for a free, no-obligation case evaluation.
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FAQ
Get answers to commonly asked questions about our legal services and learn how we may assist you with your case.
Understanding Cancer
Cancer damage is that damage caused by a diagnosis of cancer in which body cells grow uncontrollably and spread to other locations within the body. It's important to know that cancer can start practically anywhere in the human body because there are trillions of cells inside each person. Normally, human cells multiply and grow to form new cells when the body needs them. When cells become damaged or older new cells take their place and those old cells die. However, this process can break down which can lead to what is considered cancer damage. This is when abnormal or damaged cells grow and multiply when they shouldn't. Unfortunately, these cells can form tumors or lumps of tissue. Not every tumor is cancerous as some can be benign or not cancerous. Cancerous tumors become problematic as far as a diagnosis and can turn into what is considered cancer damage when they invade or spread into nearby tissues. These tumors can travel to distant places in the body to form new tumors through a process known as metastasis. Cancerous tumors can also be referred to as malignant tumors. Benign tumors are not as problematic for a person who has these because those tumors do not invade or spread into nearby tissues. Benign tumors also have a tendency not to grow back when they are removed whereas a cancerous tumor may come back.
Are Cells Damaged?
When searching for what is considered cancer damage, you may want to make a distinction between normal cells and cancer cells. Cancer cells have a couple of differentiating factors when compared to normal cells. Cancer cells can trick the immune system into keeping these abnormal or damaged cells alive and growing. Cancer cells can also accumulate multiple changes in chromosomes and grow even though they are not receiving any signals telling them to grow. This is in comparison to normal cells which only grow when they receive appropriate signals.
Cancer cells lean into these abnormal behaviors so much that it is impossible for those cells to survive and thrive without them. This can lead to the development of cancer and what is considered cancer damage. Cancer is a genetic disease, meaning that it is caused by changes in the genes that control the way cells grow and divide. The body will typically eliminate cells with damaged DNA before those cells turn cancerous but the body's ability to do this decreases as people get older, which is why there is a higher chance of getting cancer later in life.
Cancer damage can lead to serious symptoms and problems for the person who has been diagnosed with cancer. Furthermore, this person is also exposed to the side effects connected to cancer treatments, which can only make the recovery process that much harder. While many treatments for cancer can minimize the cancer damage symptoms or make the chances of survival much higher, they come with their own set of risks. This is why it is so hard to cope when you realize that you or someone you know got cancer because of a workplace exposure or other issue.
Physical Side Effects: What Is Considered Cancer Damage?
There are physical side effects of cancer to be mindful of when facing changes in your body. Some of the most common impacts of cancer treatment include cancer recurrence, bone loss in the form of osteoporosis, bruising and bleeding and anemia. Even someone who has survived an initial diagnosis of cancer has the possibility of facing future cancer.
Cancer treatments used to address the underlying cancer can also increase the chances that a patient will develop a new form of cancer. This is why it is important for someone who has already been diagnosed with cancer to go through regular screenings.
Osteoporosis or bone loss can be caused by treatments like chemotherapy as well as cancer itself. Bone density screenings are recommended to identify when osteoporosis has taken hold. Bruising and bleeding are primarily associated with targeted therapies and chemotherapy. These treatments for cancer delete the cells that clot blood. Blood clotting is an important way to stop bleeding in the human body, so when these platelets are damaged or weakened in number, this can leave patients vulnerable to bleeding and bruising. Anemia can also be caused by certain cancer types or treatments like radiation therapy or chemotherapy.
Other patients might develop more mild but still problematic cancer damage side effects like eye problems, constipation, diarrhea, diabetes, and dry mouth. Hearing loss, heart issues, fatigue, hypothyroidism, infection, incontinence, infertility, appetite loss, nausea and vomiting, organ damage, and general pain are other symptoms associated with cancer damage. Coping with a cancer diagnosis is very difficult which is why you might wish to consult with more than one doctor to determine the possible treatment options available to you. Although attacking the underlying cancer and giving you the best possible chance for survival is a primary goal, you also need to keep in mind that various cancer treatments could also potentially cause further damage themselves.
Far too many patients find themselves living with long-term or permanent consequences associated with cancer damage because of the treatments they have used. These important considerations should only be made with the help of an experienced medical professional and under the guidance provided by your family. If you find yourself in this situation, do not wait to get help from an experienced lawyer to evaluate your rights to file a case based on cancer damage.
Some instances of cancer have unknown causes or roots. Some people carry higher genetic risks for certain types of cancer damage. In general, additional screening and awareness can help those people be mindful of the possibility of cancer.
When Is Someone Else Responsible for My Cancer?
There is not always a direct explanation for why a person develops cancer. Any family member who has witnessed a loved one who is in relatively good health and has no other major medical conditions but has recently been diagnosed with cancer can attest to this. In some circumstances, cancer can be traced back to specific behaviors or exposure risks. Increasingly, however, the rate of cancer damage will increase based on someone's exposure to dangerous materials or as a side effect of taking a defective medication. These circumstances can be especially alarming because the patient had no idea about these risks at the time.
One example might be people who work in areas in which they were exposed to asbestos. Although older materials like lead and asbestos are no longer found in new builds, someone doing home constructions or Renovations might discover that they have released dangerous asbestos fibers into the air when carrying out these tasks. Over time, these asbestos fibers can build up and turn into cancer damage. Other examples include the very high rates of people who were in the Ground Zero area after the 9/11 World Trade Center attacks who have developed a broad range of cancers afterward. This is because when dangerous chemicals and toxins are released into the air, they can be breathed by humans and turn into long-term consequences with cancer.
In those circumstances, the victim might also have to consider whether or not they need to file a lawsuit against someone to recover compensation. The medical expenses associated with treating cancer and its aftermath can be extensive. This also takes a physical and emotional toll on the person with cancer and on the entire family. Given that cancer damage can have far-reaching consequences, it is beneficial to attempt to trace back the reasons why a loved one might have developed cancer in the first place.
Sadly, far too many people have experienced the damage of cancer firsthand. If this applies to you, you might need to get medical treatment but also speak with a lawyer if you think you have grounds for a legal claim. If you think you’re ready to take your next steps and explore your legal options, you can contact Morgan & Morgan, the country’s largest personal injury law firm, to receive a free case evaluation to get started.
What are Kinds of Disability Benefits In Las Vegas?
The government provides several different kinds of benefits for those people who are unable to work. However, it is not always easy to recover this compensation, even when you believe that you are legally entitled to it. This is why it is vital to identify a qualified and experienced social security lawyer in Las Vegas if you are planning to appeal a decision in which the social security administration denied your claim.
As social security lawyers in Las Vegas will tell you, there are two primary programs available to people who are disabled and not eligible to work anymore. These are known as social security disability insurance and supplemental security income. SSDI is for those disabled individuals between ages 18 and 65, no matter what financial resources they may have outside of disability benefits.
In order to qualify for this program, however, applicants must have contributed to the system federally through certain income tax deductions and have achieved a specific number of work credits associated with their age.
SSI, however, is only available to those disabled individuals who are blind, 65 or older, and who also have financial needs. These benefits are means-tested, which means that a person's financial resources and income cannot exceed a certain threshold.
Nearly two-thirds of the claims submitted for both SSI and SSDI are denied for these reasons:
- Having resources above the threshold for SSI.
- Not having enough work credits for SSDI.
- Having a medical condition that is not listed as a qualifying impairment for SSI or SSDI.
In these circumstances, finding social security lawyers in Las Vegas may be the only way for you to retell the story of how the incident has affected your life and what you need to do next to proceed to protect your right to legal compensation. Our lawyers recognize that it is hard enough to experience all the changes that a disability brings to your life without also having to worry about whether or not you will be eligible to get benefits. This is why at Morgan & Morgan we explain each step of the case to you and work as hard as possible as your Las Vegas disability lawyers to guide you through the legal procedures.
How Does the SSA Determine That I Have a Qualifying Impairment?
A disability is listed as an impairment that prevents you from performing any substantial gainful activity and is expected to either result in death or last at least one year. The SSA also maintains a comprehensive list of qualifying impairments which is often referred to as the blue book. Disability examiners refer to this blue book when evaluating disability claims. However, every condition that qualifies as a disability is not necessarily listed in the blue book. If your condition is not listed, a disability examiner will have to determine that your condition is equal to a listed impairment. Because there's so many complicated factors involved in doing this, many people turn to social security lawyers in Las Vegas to assist with putting together the next steps in a case. This can increase your chances of being approved.
Why Would Disability Be Denied?
You might assume that the facts of your case are very straightforward, but that is not always the case. In fact, you might realize that the adjusters reviewing your case don't believe you have a disability at all. This is about more than just the financial benefits you need to pay your bills. It's also about someone recognizing how your life has been altered by an accident or disability. It can be hard enough to accept that your life will never be the same, but receiving an unfair denial can be devastating for your physical and mental recovery, too. If you know that you have a serious disability but are struggling to make that case to the SSA, lawyers can help.
Unfortunately, not every disability is treated equally by the SSA. Likewise, the medical evidence supporting your claim can be questioned. The SSA May determine that you do not have a severe enough disability or that you do not have a disability at all. On top of the additional stress associated with not being able to work and not having a source of income, this can be very challenging for someone to live through. We often meet many people applying for Social Security benefits in Las Vegas who are already frustrated with the system and who believe there is no hope for their claim. We look at your case from a holistic perspective to help you determine whether or not you may be able to get benefits by filing an appeal.
It is also very challenging to communicate with representatives in the system, especially since it can take weeks or months to even get an update on where your case stands. Receiving letters through the mail can also be confusing, especially if you're not sure what they mean or how best to respond. If your claim has already been denied, it is imperative that you worked directly with the Social Security lawyer to discuss opportunities to fix the evidence in your case. A lawyer will be able to tell some of the reasons why your claim may have been denied and what ultimately can help to create a better story. When you are seriously injured, you cannot afford to be dealing with the additional stress of trying to make things work as you submit further details. It may seem relatively simple to you and even your physician, but being able to craft a story that helps to share the severity of your disability is crucial to the ultimate success of your claim. Turning to a qualified disability benefits lawyer might be the only way to make this happen.
How Long Will It Take to Get Disability Benefits in Las Vegas?
The review of your disability case can take weeks or even months. This timeline can also be extended if your claim is denied and you need to appeal it.
Plenty of people who get a denial outright want to give up and assume their case is over. After all, if you submitted plenty of evidence the first time around and that just wasn't enough, it's easy to feel like throwing in the towel. This is not a good idea in your case, however, because it's so common for people to get denied the first time around.
You need to take action quickly after receiving a denial letter or learning about any questions from the disability examiner. This is crucial for telling your full story and verifying that you've done everything possible to protect your legal rights. If you fail to respond within a timely manner, you could lose out on the ability to get this compensation. Your medical bills may continue to stack up and the stress from not being able to work will only add to your frustration. Act now and don’t move forward on your own.
Contact Morgan Morgan today for a free, no-obligation case evaluation to get started.