Getting long-term disability in Whitchurch-Stouffville should give you the money you need when health issues keep you from working. Unfortunately many people find that their insurance company makes the claims process harder than it has to be. We have helped many people who thought their valid claims would be approved without a problem, only to get denial letters full of technical jargon. At Longo Lawyers we know how tough it is to fight for benefits while dealing with a serious health issue. That’s why we’re committed to helping you get the help your policy promises. 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 is a contract you or your employer bought to protect your income if you get sick or hurt. When you paid premiums for this coverage you expected to be able to get benefits when you needed them most. But insurance companies don’t always follow these agreements without a fight. They make money by collecting premiums and paying out as little as possible, which means even valid claims are scrutinized. We make things fair by using our legal knowledge and experience to make sure your insurance company keeps its promises.
Every disability policy has its own definitions and requirements that determine if you can get benefits. Different policies have very different ideas of what disability means. Some say you can’t do your own job, others say you can’t do any job you’re reasonably suited for. This difference is very important because it changes what you need to show to get benefits. We read your policy to figure out which standard applies and come up with a plan that works best for your coverage and situation.
Medical evidence is the most important part of any disability claim, but getting the right paperwork is more than just getting a doctor’s note. Insurance companies want detailed reports that explain your diagnosis, treatment history, current symptoms and most importantly how these things affect your ability to work. It’s not enough to just say you can’t work. We help you work with your doctors and nurses to get detailed medical records that answer all of your insurance company’s questions. This often includes evaluations of your functional capacity, consultations with specialists and reports that clearly show how your medical limitations affect your ability to do certain jobs.
If you want to make a claim for dog bites that leave you with permanent physical or mental disabilities you need to provide a lot of proof of how bad your injuries are and how long they will last. Insurance companies may admit that the first event happened but later they may say you should have gotten better or that your ongoing symptoms are worse than the injury. We collect proof of how your condition really affects you through new medical reports, expert opinions and sometimes psychological evaluations that explain why your limitations continue. This thorough process proves that your disability is real and long-lasting not just temporary or blown out of proportion.
It’s very important to pay attention to the details and meet strict deadlines when applying for long-term disability benefits. You need to fill out the forms completely and correctly, with clear descriptions of your job duties, medical condition and any limitations on your ability to do things. Small mistakes or not answering all the questions can cause benefits to be denied or take a long time to get. We help with the whole application process to make sure everything is sent in correctly and on time. This careful planning can often mean the difference between getting approved and getting denied, especially when the disability isn’t immediately obvious to someone who doesn’t know your situation well.
Most people don’t expect denials to happen as often as they do, even for claims that seem clearly valid. Insurance companies may deny benefits for a number of reasons such as not having enough medical evidence, disagreeing with your doctors or saying you haven’t tried all the treatments available. A lot of the time insurance companies deny claims because their doctors review your case but never meet with you in person. These paper reviews involve the remote examination of your medical records and the formulation of conclusions that frequently contradict the opinions of your treating physicians. We fight these unfair reviews by pointing out their flaws and showing that doctors who know your case well are more trustworthy.
There are strict deadlines to meet during the appeals process for denied claims. Most policies give you 30 to 90 days to file an appeal after being denied. If you miss this deadline you will lose your right to challenge the decision forever. We make sure appeals are filed on time and with strong arguments backed up by more medical evidence. You can’t just disagree with the denial to win an appeal. You need to respond to each reason given and provide new information that shows you are eligible for benefits under your policy.
A lot of people in Whitchurch-Stouffville have health problems that can’t be proven with objective tests. Chronic pain disorders, fatigue syndromes, cognitive impairments and mental health conditions all depend on symptoms that are hard to measure and that insurance companies often question. These insurance companies might say your symptoms are worse than they really are or that you could work if you tried harder. We have developed ways to present these cases by using detailed symptom documentation, statements from people who know you well that back up your claims and medical opinions that back up your condition. Even if a scan or a simple blood test can’t see or measure your disability it’s still real.
Insurance investigators often use surveillance as a way to investigate disability claims. Companies might hire people to follow you, record what you do in public and check your social media accounts for evidence that goes against what you say you can do. This feels intrusive and makes you feel like you’re being treated like a liar instead of someone who needs help. We help you understand that having a limited range of activities doesn’t mean you aren’t disabled. You can’t work full time just because you have to run errands or go to family events. We make sure any surveillance footage is clearly explained and not misrepresented to make it look like recovery.
When you can’t work and your disability claim is still open the financial pressure can become too much. It might seem like you can’t afford to hire a lawyer right now. We only charge you legal fees if we win your long-term disability case and get you benefits. This way everyone can get good legal help no matter how much money they have right now. We only do well when you do well so our interests are completely aligned with yours.
We want you to be able to talk to us throughout your case. You should know what’s going on at every step of the legal process even if it’s hard to understand. We use plain language to explain what’s going on and we’re always here to answer your questions. You should never be unsure about the status of your case or what to do next. Regular updates and honest explanations can help with anxiety during a already stressful time.
Your treating doctors are very important to your claim but they may need help figuring out what information insurance companies need. Doctors are more interested in diagnosing and treating illnesses than in writing down disabilities for insurance purposes. We work with your medical team to get full reports that go into detail about your functional limitations, work restrictions and prognosis. Sometimes this means asking for extra evaluations or setting up specialized tests that give objective evidence to back up your claim.
Another problem we often see is the end of benefits after the first approval. Sometimes insurance companies will approve your claim at first but later decide you have recovered or can do other work. These terminations often happen without warning and may be based on medical opinions that aren’t clear or a misunderstanding of what you’ve been doing. We fight wrongfully ending benefits by showing the person is still disabled with current medical evidence and pointing out mistakes in the insurance company’s reasoning.