Hepatitis C Disability Insurance Benefits Claim
View Disability Cases Involving Hepatitis C Disability Insurance Benefits Claim
Disability insurance carriers often claim Hepatitis C is not disabling. How Can Disability Insurance Attorneys Dell & Schaefer Assist You?
As disability attorneys, Dell & Schaefer have represented numerous long term disability claimants that have been unable to work as a result of hepatitis C. Disability Attorneys Dell & Schaefer have an expansive understanding of the significant restrictions and limitations that a person suffering with hepatitis C must live with on a daily basis. We have worked closely with top physicians in order to sufficiently satisfy a disability carrier’s threshold of evidence necessary to prove that a client is disabled by hepatitis C.
Not everyone suffering from suffering hepatitis C qualifies for long-term disability benefits, therefore the medical records of each client must be reviewed to determine the level of restrictions.
We welcome the opportunity to discuss your long-term disability claim.
You can contact us for a free initial consultation.
What is hepatitis C?
Hepatitis C is an infection caused by a virus that attacks the liver and leads to inflammation. An estimated 270-300 million people worldwide are infected with hepatitis C. Most people infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV) show no symptoms. In fact, most people don’t know they have the hepatitis C infection until liver damage shows up, decades later, during routine medical tests.
Hepatitis C is one of several hepatitis viruses and is generally considered to be among the most serious of these viruses. Hepatitis C infection is caused by the hepatitis C virus (HCV). HCV is spread when you come in contact with contaminated blood.
People who may be at risk for hepatitis C are those who:
- Have been on long-term kidney dialysis
- Have regular contact with blood at work (for instance, as a health care worker)
- Have unprotected sexual contact with a person who has hepatitis C (this is less common, but the risk increases for those who have multiple sex partners, already have a sexually transmitted disease, or are infected with HIV)
- Inject street drugs or share a needle with someone who has hepatitis C
- Received a blood transfusion before July 1992
- Received a tattoo or acupuncture with contaminated instruments (the risk is very low with licensed, commercial tattoo facilities)
- Received blood, blood products, or solid organs from a donor who has hepatitis C
- Were born to a hepatitis C-infected mother (this is less common than with hepatitis B)
Hepatitis C has an acute and chronic form. Chronic hepatitis C is defined as having the virus for more than six months. Most people who are infected with the virus develop chronic hepatitis C.
How the symptoms of hepatitis C can affect you
Hepatitis C infection usually produces no signs or symptoms during its earliest stages. When signs and symptoms do occur, they’re generally mild and flu-like and may include fatigue, fever, nausea or lack of appetite, muscle and joint pain and tenderness in the area of your liver.
Hepatitis C infection that continues over many years can cause significant complications, such as cirrhosis (scarring of the liver tissue), liver cancer and liver failure. If liver damage is severe, then a transplant may be the only option.
The shortage of organs for transplantation means patients may have to wait some time before one becomes available. Even when the liver is replaced, this does not cure the virus, the virus infects the new liver and will eventually start to damage it in the same way.
There is no cure for hepatitis C. Some patients with hepatitis C benefit from treatment with medications. The most common medications are a combination of interferon alpha and ribavirin, an antiviral medication.
Most patients receive weekly injections just under the skin with a form called pegylated interferon alpha. Ribavirin is a capsule taken twice daily. The major side effect is low red blood cells (anemia). Ribavirin also causes birth defects. We have represented several clients that have developed long term cognitive impairments as a result of the interferon and ribavirin treatments.
These medications have a number of side effects, including depression, fatigue, fever, flu-like symptoms, headache, irritability, loss of appetite, low white blood cell counts and platelets, nausea and thinning of hair.
Resources
There are many valuable sources of hepatitis C information available. You can also access resources over the internet such as:
http://hepcsource.com/ – A great resource of information about hepatitis C and treatment options.
Center For Disease Control
Hepatitis Central
There are numerous charities dedicated to hepatitis C research, detection and treatment including:
Hepatitis Foundation International
American Liver Foundation
We welcome the opportunity to discuss your long-term disability claim.
You can contact us for a free initial consultation.
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Click here or call 800-682-8331 now!
We respond the same day. We represent disability insurance claimants all over the United States.
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Disability benefits cases involving Hepatitis:
Disability Insurance Info
I have hepatitis C and have been seeing doctors for this for about five years. Last month the stress from work landed me on short term disability, and I have lost a lot of memory. I am also fatigued greatly. Can I get long term disability, as my employer has this? I am only being given short term for a month at this point.
Dennis,
I am sorry to hear about your medical condition. In order to determine if you would be eligible for long term disability insurance, we would need to review your disability policy. If you contact us through our free consultation form, we will then contact you to arrange a free consultation to discuss your potential long term disability claim. You must contact your employer in order to obtain a copy of your long term disability policy.
I took interferon and ribavirin for 6 months in 2000. When I started the treatment for Hep. C, I was told there were no lasting effects. I had back and joint pain while taking treatment and I was put on depression medicine because my emotions were off the wall.
I did clear the Hep. C. Ever since the treatment, I have had several mental breakdowns. My anxiety is off the charts, I cannot sleep without medication anymore. I have nerve pain and joint pain. That cannot be pinned down. I cannot remember a lot of things. I am in constant pain and I was hospitalized several times due to mental issues, that I never had before the treatment.
I am on SSDI for mental impairment. I won on my first hearing. I don’t even remember doing it. My doctor, that treated my Hep. C said he would not treat another person because of my reactions and another he had on treatment. Had I known what I do now I would have never had treatment. I had no liver damage and my liver panel was good.
I worked one year after treatment and I took out STD and LTD. I got my STD but they denied my LTD and I was in no shape to fight them. I did work long enough to get my LTD.
I can no longer handle any stress or emotional things anymore. I cannot sit or stand or walk for any period of time. Mentally I can not handle things like I use to.
I was wondering if I have any recourse for long term effects of treatment and my LTD? I worked for WalMart home office in the insurance department and I was too sick to fight them. I have no short term memory anymore. I am 46 years old. I feel if I could take back that 6 months of treatment my life would be very different.
Thanks.
Rhonda,
If your disability claim goes back to 2000, then the period of time to file a claim has expired.