Justin C. Frankel warns blood cancer patients on disability coverage

The Law Office of Justin C. Frankel, P.C. is marking September as Blood Cancer Awareness Month with a focus on how leukemia, lymphoma and multiple myeloma can disrupt long-term disability claims. The firm says patients should document functional limits carefully as insurers may look past a diagnosis and focus on work capacity.

Why it matters: - Blood cancer can force patients out of work while they are still in treatment or dealing with lasting side effects. - Long-term disability benefits may become a critical source of income when fatigue, cognitive issues, neuropathy or other symptoms make full-time work unrealistic. - A diagnosis alone may not be enough to secure benefits, so patients need records that show how the illness affects daily function.

What happened: - The Law Office of Justin C. Frankel, P.C., a national disability insurance law firm, recognized September as Blood Cancer Awareness Month. - The firm used the observance to highlight disability insurance issues facing patients with leukemia, lymphoma, multiple myeloma and other blood cancers. - Founding attorney Justin C. Frankel said patients should be able to focus on treatment and recovery without worrying about whether an insurer will accept their limitations.

The details: - Blood Cancer Awareness Month is meant to increase understanding of blood cancers and support patients and families affected by the diseases. - Blood Cancer United, formerly The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, is among the groups leading awareness and patient-support efforts. - The article says blood cancer treatment can include chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation therapy, targeted therapies, stem-cell transplantation, surgery or combinations of these approaches. - Ongoing effects can include fatigue, weakness, pain, neuropathy, cognitive difficulties, impaired concentration, infection risk, gastrointestinal complications, sleep disruption and reduced physical endurance. - The American Cancer Society estimates about 67,790 new leukemia cases in the U.S. in 2026, along with about 79,320 new non-Hodgkin lymphoma cases and about 36,000 new multiple myeloma cases. - Disability insurers typically examine whether a medical condition prevents a claimant from performing the material and substantial duties of the occupation covered by the policy or employee benefit plan. - Frankel said being medically stable and being able to return to work are different questions, and disability claims should focus on function. - Important evidence can include oncology and hematology records, treatment histories, lab findings, imaging, medication side effects, hospital records, physician restrictions, occupational requirements and proof of how the disease affects day-to-day functioning. - That documentation can matter even more when an insurer orders its own review, requests an independent medical exam, questions continued restrictions or tries to end benefits after improvement or remission. - Employees covered through an employer may fall under ERISA, which brings strict deadlines and procedural rules. - The article says the administrative appeal process can be especially important because the evidence developed there may become the record later reviewed by a court. - Blood Cancer United says progress in research and treatment has helped many patients live longer, and some blood cancers can now be cured or managed over the long term.

Between the lines: - The firm is pairing an awareness-month message with a legal warning: cancer patients may face a second battle over benefits after the medical diagnosis. - The emphasis on function over diagnosis suggests insurers may deny or terminate claims even when a disease is serious, if the patient appears stable on paper. - The ERISA warning signals that workers with employer-provided coverage may have less room to fix gaps later if they miss deadlines or fail to build the record early.

What's next: - Patients filing long-term disability claims are being urged to document symptoms, treatment effects and job limitations from the start. - Workers whose benefits are denied or cut off may need to use the appeal process quickly, especially in ERISA cases. - Blood Cancer Awareness Month will continue through September as advocacy groups, clinicians and patient organizations promote awareness and support.

The bottom line: - For blood cancer patients, the key disability question is not just the diagnosis. It is whether the illness and treatment prevent consistent full-time work, and whether the medical record proves it.