To make a long term disability(LTD) claim in York you need to know how to read complicated insurance policies and deal with a system that is designed to help the insurance company. We have helped many people who thought their benefits would be approved without any problems only to get letters saying they were denied with lots of technical details. It’s very stressful to be denied when you can’t work on top of the health problems you already have. At Longo Lawyers we help people whose insurance companies haven’t kept their promises and fight to get you the benefits you deserve. Personal Injury Lawyer Fabio Longo is dedicated to helping clients recover the compensation they deserve with professionalism, integrity, and proven results.
Long term disability insurance policies are contracts that outline the rights and duties of each party. Unfortunately these documents use legal language that most people can’t understand. Words like “total disability”, “own occupation” and “any occupation” have very specific meanings that can make a big difference whether you get benefits or not. We take the time to explain your policy in plain language so you know what it covers and what you need to do to prove it. This is the foundation of your claim.
You as the claimant are the only one who has to prove you are disabled. Insurance companies won’t just take your word for it or even your doctor’s first opinion without a lot of proof. They need detailed medical records, functional assessments and sometimes more evaluations from specialists. We help you get all the evidence you need to support every part of your claim. This means making sure your medical records show how your condition affects your ability to do work tasks and daily tasks.
Many disability claims are for injuries or conditions that got worse over time instead of happening all at once. Progressive diseases, degenerative conditions and repetitive strain injuries can be just as disabling as sudden traumatic events. Insurance companies may say that conditions that start slowly don’t fit their policy definitions or that you should have told them about your symptoms sooner. We can counter these arguments by showing your condition is real and meets policy requirements no matter how it happened.
Claims for motorcycle accidents that cause permanent disability usually have complex medical evidence and disagreements about how long it will take to get better. Insurance companies may admit you were hurt at first but later say you should have healed enough to go back to work in some way. We work with doctors who know what happens in the long term after a serious accident and can explain why your limitations are still there. This expert testimony helps prove your disability is real and not just a temporary problem.
There is a lot of paperwork, strict deadlines and detailed forms that need to be filled out correctly during the claims process. If you miss a deadline or don’t give all the information, your application will be denied. We help with every part of the application process to make sure all requirements are met. This includes helping you write down your job duties in plain language, getting the right medical paperwork and sending everything in the right format and on time. If you start with a well prepared application your chances of getting approved go up a lot.
Even for claims that seem simple, denials happen more often than most people think. Insurance companies give many reasons for denying benefits such as not having enough medical evidence or disagreeing with your doctor’s diagnosis. Some denials happen because doctors at the insurance company review your file but never meet with you in person. These paper reviews involve the remote examination of your file and the formulation of conclusions that frequently contradict those of your treating physicians. We challenge these biased reviews by pointing out their flaws and stressing that doctors who know your case better are better able to help you.
The appeals process for denied claims has strict time limits that don’t leave much room for mistakes. Most policies only give you 30 to 90 days to file an appeal and this deadline is strictly followed. We make sure your appeal is filed quickly and that it includes strong arguments for each reason for denial. To win an appeal you need to do more than just say you don’t agree. You need to give more evidence, fix any problems with the first application and give legal reasons why you meet the policy’s requirements for benefits.
When you can’t work and your disability benefits are denied, the financial pressure becomes too much to handle. Bills keep coming, savings are running out fast and not knowing what will happen in the future makes you anxious all the time. We know hiring a lawyer seems like something you can’t afford right now. You don’t have to pay any legal fees unless we get you benefits under our contingency fee agreement. This way everyone can get good legal help no matter how much money they have right now.
Having a disability that stops you from working affects every part of your life. Don’t underestimate how hard it is to deal with serious health problems and fight with your insurance company at the same time. We not only know the law but we also help and guide you through this tough time. It’s important to have someone on your side who believes your claim and fights for your rights. You shouldn’t have to fight this battle by yourself while dealing with everything else.
A lot of people in York have problems that are hard to test for objectively. Pain disorders, chronic fatigue, cognitive impairments and mental health conditions often depend on symptoms that are hard to measure. Insurance companies are especially skeptical of these claims and may say that the symptoms are made up or are caused by a mental illness. We have developed ways to present these cases that include detailed records of your symptoms, statements from family and coworkers that back up your claims and medical opinions that support your experience.
Insurance companies use surveillance as an invasive way to investigate disability claims. Investigators might follow you around, tape you in public and look at your online presence to find evidence that goes against what you say your limitations are. Even though this is legal it makes you anxious and makes you feel like a fraud instead of someone who is trying to get real benefits. We help you understand that not being able to do many things doesn’t mean you can’t work. We make sure any surveillance evidence is put in the right context instead of being twisted to make it look like recovery.
Your treating doctors are important to your disability claim but they may not know what information insurance companies need. Doctors are more interested in figuring out what’s wrong and how to fix it than in writing down disabilities for insurance purposes. We work with your medical team to get full reports that cover things like functional limitations, work restrictions and the likely outcome of your condition. In some cases this means asking for extra evaluations or setting up specialized tests that give objective proof of your claim.
Sometimes insurance companies will approve your first claim but then stop paying benefits saying you have recovered or can do other work. These terminations often happen without warning and may be based on medical reviews that aren’t very good or a misunderstanding of what you do. We fight unfair benefit terminations by showing the person is still disabled with new medical evidence and by pointing out problems with the insurance company’s decision making process. Just because an adjuster closes your file doesn’t mean you lose your right to benefits.
You have to think about a lot of things when negotiating a settlement such as your age, the terms of your policy, how long your benefits will last and how likely you are to win if the case goes to court. Lump sum settlements can help you out right away but they might be a lot less than the total value of monthly payments that keep coming in. We review any settlement offer and give you honest advice on whether to accept it or continue to fight. You still have to make all the decisions but we make sure you have all the information you need to make the right choice.