Every case of breast cancer is a life-changing experience for every woman afflicted by it. Fortunately, more women than ever are surviving and recovering from it. Unfortunately, the road to victory over breast cancer is time-consuming, expensive, and debilitating. 

The breast organs affected by cancer have little relation to a woman’s ability to complete basic work activities–but the treatments we have to fight the cancer certainly do. Many judges are sympathetic to symptoms of nausea, headaches, vomiting, diarrhea, fatigue, dyspnea, and bodily pain that typically result from radiation and chemotherapy treatment. 

Your challenge is to report your systems consistently when undergoing breast cancer treatment. A strong case involving this medical condition typically charts the following course:

  • Referral: Establish care with an Oncologist. Your primary care doctor can refer you to one.
  • Complete any and all treatment recommended by your Oncologist. This may include:
    • Mammogram
    • Biopsy
    • Chemotherapy (always report any side effects)
    • Radiation treatment (always report any side effects)
    • Full or Partial Mastectomy
  • Again, your challenge is to consistently report all your symptoms to all of your providers. Keeping a calendar may help.

Note: unless you have other severe medical problems that require lots of treatment too, then this type of severe MDI tends to run its course after 12-18 months. If this was the only medical problem that stopped you from working, then you should consider returning to work no earlier than 366 days after you stopped working.

Written By: Jacob Hugentobler, Hearing Attorney

Image Credit: Dr, Tan Chuan Chien, Breast Cancer: Symptoms and Early Warning Signs, available at https://cctansurgery.com.sg/breast-cancer-symptoms-and-early-warning-signs/