To get what you deserve for a long-term disability(LTD) claim in Burlington you need to be patient, persistent and often have a lawyer help you. We have helped many people who thought their insurance company would help them when things got tough but instead got denial letters with confusing reasons. It gets even worse when the money you were counting on to help you while you can’t work because of a disability suddenly disappears. We know how stressful this is for you and at Longo Lawyers we do everything we can to settle your claim as quick as possible.
Most people don’t read the fine print in long-term disability insurance policies until they need to file a claim. At that point it seems impossible to understand the fine print while dealing with a serious health issue. We read your policy and explain what it covers, what it doesn’t cover and what you need to do as a claimant. This information can help you avoid mistakes that can hurt your claim. Personal Injury Lawyer Fabio Longo is dedicated to helping clients recover the compensation they deserve with professionalism, integrity, and proven results.
In long-term disability cases you have to prove your condition keeps you from working. Insurance companies don’t just believe what you say or what your doctor says at first. To prove your claim they need a lot of medical evidence, functional assessments and even surveillance at times. We help you get this evidence together and present it in the most convincing way possible taking into account the specific standards your insurance company uses to look at claims.
One problem we often run into is that doctors’ notes don’t always match what insurance companies want to see. Doctors’ main job is to figure out what’s wrong with you and how to treat it, not to write down your disability for insurance purposes. You might think a note telling you to avoid heavy lifting is clear, but insurance adjusters want to know exactly how much weight you can lift, how often you can lift it and how these limits affect your specific job duties. We work with your doctors and nurses to get reports that meet the standards of your insurance company and accurately show what you can and can’t do.
Conditions that involve brain injuries often require special paperwork because the effects can be small but very disabling. Standard imaging tests may not show cognitive impairments, processing problems or fatigue but these can make it impossible to do work that requires memory, concentration or quick decision making. We know how to present these cases well. We use neuropsychological testing, vocational assessments and detailed testimony from your treating doctors to show how your injury affects your life in the real world.
There are strict deadlines for the appeals process for denied long-term disability claims which makes it hard to make mistakes. You usually only have 30 to 90 days to appeal a denial and if you miss this time frame your claim may be permanently closed. We make sure your appeal is filed on time and has all the paperwork it needs. We don’t just meet deadlines; we also make legal arguments that explain why your claim was denied and give you more evidence to back up your case.
Sometimes insurance companies will approve your first claim but then stop your benefits saying you have recovered or can now do some kind of work. These terminations are often a surprise especially if your condition hasn’t gotten better or has even gotten worse. We fight against unfair benefit terminations by showing we still have a disability through new medical evidence and by pointing out flaws in the insurance company’s reasoning. Just because an adjuster decides to close your file doesn’t mean you lose your right to benefits.
Video surveillance is one of the more intrusive ways insurance companies look into disability claims. Knowing you might be followed and recorded makes you anxious and makes you feel like a criminal instead of someone who is trying to get benefits that are legal. We can’t stop surveillance but we can help you understand that living with a disability doesn’t mean you have to be completely inactive. We deal with surveillance footage by putting it in the right context and showing that doing a few things doesn’t mean you can work full time.
When disability benefits are denied or stopped the financial pressure builds up quickly. Bills keep coming, savings accounts get smaller and the future is uncertain. We understand hiring a lawyer may seem like something you can’t afford right now. We work on long-term disability cases on a contingency fee basis for this reason. You don’t have to pay anything unless we get you benefits. This setup makes sure everyone can get good legal help no matter how much money they have right now.
Your insurance company has lawyers working for them and you should have the same level of legal representation. We have years of experience dealing with disability claims in Burlington and all over Ontario. We know which arguments work with insurance companies, which medical evidence is most important and when to settle instead of going to court. We always put your best interests first even if every case is different.
It’s hard to overstate how tough it is to fight for disability benefits while dealing with a serious health issue. When you were paying premiums you may have thought the insurance company was reliable but now you feel like they have abandoned you. People often feel angry, frustrated and hopeless when their claims are denied. We can help you with the law and give you peace of mind during this tough time. Having someone who believes in your claim and fights for your rights on your side makes a big difference in how you go through this process.
Some disability claims are for conditions that should get better with treatment while others are for conditions that will never get better or will get worse over time. Your claim will be looked at differently depending on the type of condition you have and the proof you need to keep giving. We help you understand these differences and get ready for how to handle your claim long term. If you have a permanent disability this might mean proving your condition will never get better enough for you to be able to go back to work. We make sure benefits don’t end early for conditions that might get better until you are really better.
Sometimes you need to take an occupational assessment to show that your disability makes it impossible for you to do not only your own job but any job for which you are reasonably qualified. These tests look at your education, work history, transferable skills and any limitations you have right now. We hire trustworthy vocational experts to do these evaluations and give opinions that back up your claim. When insurance companies use their own vocational experts who come to conclusions that don’t make sense we question those opinions through cross-examination and evidence that goes against them.
When settling long-term disability claims there are many factors to consider. A lump sum settlement might help you with your immediate financial problems but could be a lot less than the total value of the monthly benefits you would get over time. We look at settlement offers and advise you on whether to accept or decline an offer. We want to get you the most money possible while considering your needs and wants.