If you have been diagnosed with a malignant melanoma (including skin, ocular, or mucosal melanoma) and are unable to work, you may qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits. Once you submit your application for disability, Social Security will evaluate your condition and medical records in accordance with the listings found in the Blue Book.
Social Security Listing
Social Security evaluates malignant melanomas under listing 13.29. To meet the listing found in the Blue Book, you must have medical records and test results that show that you have been diagnosed with a malignant melanoma. Further, you must meet either A, B, or C below.
- The melanoma is recurrent (excluding an additional primary melanoma at a different site), following either:
- Wide excision (skin melanoma) OR
- Enucleation of the eye (ocular melanoma).
- The melanoma has metastases as described in 1, 2, or 3, below:
- Metastases to one or more clinically apparent nodes (nodes detected by imaging studies (other than lymphoscintigraphy) or by clinical evaluation OR
- If the nodes are not clinically apparent, there must be metastases to four or more nodes OR
- Metastases to adjacent skin or distant sites.
- Mucosal melanoma.
I Don’t Meet a Listing!
If you don’t meet the listing, you still may qualify for SSDI or SSI benefits. In this case, you will need medical records that show that you will be unable to work for at least twelve months, based on your condition, symptoms, medication side effects, or treatment schedule.
To prove your case, you may need screening reports/other reports showing the discovery of your cancer; biopsy reports indicating the type of cancer you have; surgical notes from any tumor removal surgeries (or reports from a surgeon stating why your cancer cannot be removed); a detailed history of your treatments; and information on the types of medication you take for the melanoma, including chemotherapy or radiation.
If you have been diagnosed with a malignant melanoma and are unable to work due to your condition, contact a local attorney today if you have any questions.