Many people who apply for long term disability benefits(LTD) in Peel don’t expect the problems that come up when they do. We have helped many people who thought their insurance company would help them through tough times, only to find that they were met with resistance at every turn. Being denied benefits when you can’t work makes an already stressful situation even more so. We at Longo Lawyers know how tough things are for you and we will do everything we can to get you the benefits 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 there to protect your income if you can’t work because of an illness or injury. But insurance companies are businesses that want to make money, so they look at every claim very carefully to find reasons to deny or lower payments. This makes the relationship between the two sides hostile, which many claimants find shocking and unfair. We use our knowledge and experience to make sure your rights are protected and your insurance company does what it says it will do in your policy. Slip, trip, and fall accidents occur when individuals are injured due to hazardous conditions such as wet floors, uneven surfaces, or poor lighting, often leading to premises liability claims against property owners or managers.
To make a successful claim you need to know exactly what your disability policy says. These contracts have definitions and exclusions that have a big impact on whether or not you can get benefits. You need to be unable to do any job or just your own job to qualify for own occupation coverage. Some policies only cover certain conditions, especially mental health problems, for 24 months or less. We read your policy to see what it covers and what you need to show. This helps us figure out the best way to present your claim.
Medical evidence is the most important part of any disability claim, but getting the right paperwork is more than just making an appointment with a doctor. Insurance companies want detailed reports that explain your diagnosis, treatment, prognosis and most importantly how your condition affects your ability to work. General statements aren’t enough. We help you work with your healthcare providers to get detailed medical records that answer the specific questions your insurance company will ask. This often includes evaluations of your functional capacity, assessments by specialists and reports that clearly show how your medical condition affects your ability to work.
When someone dies and was receiving or applying for long term disability benefits at the time of death, their family may have to deal with both wrongful death and disability claims. These situations make things even more complicated for family members who may be entitled to certain benefits under the policy. We help families get through these tough times by making sure they get all the benefits they can and insurance companies don’t take advantage of people who are grieving.
You need to pay attention to every detail when you apply for long term disability benefits. You must fill out the forms completely and correctly, with clear descriptions of your job duties, medical condition and how your limitations make it impossible for you to work. If you make small mistakes or leave things out, you may have to wait longer to get your benefits. We help with applications to make sure everything is sent in correctly the first time. This includes helping you explain your job duties in clear terms and your limitations in a way that insurance adjusters can understand.
Most people don’t expect claim denials to happen as often as they do. Insurance companies give many reasons for denying claims such as not having enough medical evidence or disagreeing with your doctor’s conclusions. Many denials happen because doctors hired by the insurance company look at your files but never see you in person. These reviewers look at your medical records from afar and come to conclusions that are often different from what your doctors say. We contest these biased reviews by highlighting their deficiencies and emphasizing the expertise of physicians who directly manage your care and understand your condition firsthand.
The appeals process has strict deadlines that can’t be moved. Most policies only give you 30 to 90 days to appeal a denial. If you miss this time frame you lose your right to challenge the decision. We make sure appeals are filed quickly and that they include strong arguments that address each reason given for the denial. To win an appeal you need to show more evidence, fix any mistakes in the original application and make legal arguments that show why you are entitled to benefits under your policy.
Many of the disability claims in Peel are for conditions that can’t be measured fairly. Chronic pain syndromes, fatigue disorders, cognitive impairments and mental health conditions often depend on subjective symptoms that can’t be validated through imaging or laboratory tests. Insurance companies are especially skeptical of these claims and sometimes say the symptoms are made up or are more mental than physical. We have developed ways to present these cases such as detailed symptom journals, testimony from family and coworkers that supports your claims and medical opinions that support the validity of your condition.
Unfortunately many disability cases involve insurance investigators watching people. Companies may hire people to follow you around, record what you do in public and check your social media accounts for inconsistencies. This feels intrusive and makes it seem like you’re being treated like a liar instead of someone who needs help. We tell clients about the different ways they can be watched and make sure any video is put in the right context. We make sure surveillance evidence is not misrepresented and limited activities like going to the doctor or buying groceries don’t show someone can work full time.
When you can’t work and your expected benefits are denied, money problems become very real. During this tough time the cost of hiring a lawyer may seem too high. We only charge you legal fees if we win your long term disability case and get you benefits. This arrangement means everyone can get good legal help no matter how much money they have right now. Our interests are perfectly aligned because your success is the only thing that will make us successful.
It’s still very important to talk to each other during your case. Legal cases can be complicated and you have the right to know what’s going on every step of the way. We use plain language to explain what’s happening and are always available to answer questions. You should never be unsure about how your case is going or what will happen next. Regular updates and clear explanations can help ease anxiety during a very stressful time.
Your doctors are important to your case but they may need help figuring out what to put in their reports. Instead of writing down your disability for insurance purposes, doctors focus on treating your condition. We work with your doctors to make sure reports include specific information about how your condition affects your ability to do things, your ability to work and your prognosis. This may include asking for extra tests or setting up more evaluations that give objective proof of your disability claim.
Another common issue we see is when benefits are cut off after the first approval. Sometimes insurance companies will approve a claim at first but then change their mind and say you have recovered or can do some kind of work. These terminations often happen suddenly and may be based on flimsy evidence or biased medical opinions. We fight against wrongful terminations by showing the disability is still there with new medical evidence and pointing out the flaws in the insurance company’s reasoning. Just because an adjuster closes your file doesn’t mean you lose your right to benefits.
Before accepting a settlement offer you should review it carefully. A lump sum payment may help now but could be a lot less than the total value of monthly benefits that will continue. We review settlement offers and give you honest advice on whether you should accept them or keep fighting. Our goal is to get you the most money possible while also respecting your needs and wants on how to settle the case.