Liver Disease and Hepatitis May Keep You From Working
If the symptoms and side effects of hepatitis or liver disease prevent you from working in a substantial gainful activity, you may be granted Social Security Disability/Supplemental Security Income (SSD/SSI) benefits. To prove your condition, you will need medical test results from blood work or a liver biopsy. You will also need to provide detailed medical reports of your symptoms and the side effects you experience from treatment as they relate to your ability to work.
It is best to work with experienced SSD/SSI lawyers to ensure you submit the appropriate medical evidence to the Social Security Administration (SSA). At Milam Law, we have been helping people with all stages of the SSD/SSI claims process for more than 20 years.
Information on this website is provided as a service of Milam Law. Contact us regarding Social Security Disability claims and denials.
Disabling Symptoms and Side Effects
Hepatitis C is a viral disease that can be passed person to person through the blood. Individuals at risk for contracting the virus include people who received blood products for hemophilia before 1987, those who received an organ transplant or blood transfusion prior to July 1992, and babies born to mothers with hepatitis C. Unprotected sexual activity and needle sharing also increases the risk for contracting the disease.
Symptoms common to hepatitis C, hepatitis B and related liver diseases may include:
- Jaundice
- Nausea
- Weight loss
- Weakness
- Fatigue
- Abdominal pain
These symptoms may limit a person's ability to do daily activities and work. People do not always experience serious symptoms of hepatitis C in the beginning, however. If the disease is undetected and untreated, it can become chronic and cause cirrhosis of the liver, liver disease or liver cancer. In very serious cases, people with certain types of liver disease need liver transplants. Liver transplant patients are automatically allowed 12 months of disability benefits. Their claims will be evaluated after the first 12 months.
In addition, the drugs used to treat liver diseases can cause serious side effects such as depression, headaches, fatigue and pain. These side effects may also qualify a person for SSD or SSI benefits if the person is no longer able to work.
Hepatitis and Social Security Disability Attorney
Milam Law has offices across the Central Valley, including Fresno, Sacramento and Modesto. For a free consultation, please contact us online or call us toll free at 877-840-3508.
