Long-term disability benefits should help you pay for your recovery or management of a chronic condition when a serious illness or injury prevents you from working. Unfortunately, many people in Barrie find out that getting these benefits is harder than they thought. At Longo Lawyers, we deal with people who are having trouble getting disability benefits or disputing their insurance company’s denied claims.
Many people get long-term disability coverage through their job as part of a group benefits package. You probably paid for this coverage, either directly or through having money taken out of your paycheque, with the assumption that you would be able to use these benefits if you ever needed them. This insurance is meant to replace some of your income if you can’t do your job because of a medical condition that makes it impossible for you to do so. Benefits may cover 50% to 70% of your pre-disability income, depending on your policy.
Despite paying for this coverage, many people have their claims denied or their payments stopped without warning. There are many reasons why insurance companies deny claims. They can say your medical records don’t show you’re impaired enough. They can say you can’t do your current job but you could do some other kind of work. If one of their own medical experts has looked at you, they might say your condition isn’t as bad as you and your doctors say it is. Sometimes they even say yes to your claim at first but then stop your benefits later because of surveillance footage, new evaluations or policy changes.
Remember that insurance companies are businesses that want to make money. They have to pay valid claims because of their contracts but they also have a reason to keep payouts low. This makes life tough for disabled people who just want the help they deserve. At Longo Lawyers, we make things fair by fighting for clients whose claims have been denied or ended wrongfully. Children’s Injuries claims prioritize a child’s safety, future wellbeing, and access to proper care and support.
Medical evidence is the key to any long-term disability claim. Your doctors need to provide you with a lot of information about your diagnosis, how your condition affects your daily life, what limitations you have and what your future looks like. Insurance companies deny claims because they think the medical proof isn’t strong enough or doesn’t support the amount of impairment being claimed. We help our clients make sure their doctors understand what paperwork is needed and give them detailed reports that accurately show how bad their health is.
In these situations, the exact wording of your policy is important. Long-term disability policies have several definitions of disability and it’s important to know what these definitions are. Some policies have an “own occupation” definition which means you’re disabled if you can’t do your unique job. Some policies apply an “any occupation” standard which means you’re disabled only if you can’t do any work you’re fairly qualified for through education, training or experience. After a certain amount of time, usually two years, many policies convert from “own occupation” to “any occupation”. When building your case it’s important to know these little details.
When you get a disability claim denied, timing is everything. You have to file an appeal or take legal action by certain dates and if you miss those dates you may never get your benefits back. If you live in Barrie or anywhere in Ontario and got a denial letter, you should talk to a lawyer who specializes in disability claims right away. The sooner you get legal help the better off you’ll be when it comes to protecting your rights. Chronic Pain cases address the ongoing physical and emotional impact injuries can have on daily life and work.
Many people are worried about being able to afford a lawyer when they can’t work because of a disability. We at Longo Lawyers understand this worry and usually charge a contingency fee for long-term disability claims. This means you don’t have to pay legal fees unless we get you benefits. When we get benefits for you we take a part of what we get as our fee. This way you can pursue your claim without worrying about money.
When you fight a long-term disability denial you may have to negotiate, file an appeal with the insurance company or go to court. How you go about it depends on your case. Some problems can be solved quickly by talking to the insurance company, others may need to be taken to court and possibly even tried. Whatever happens with your case we will fight for the benefits you are entitled to under your policy and help you through this tough time in your life.