Fort Frances Long Term Disability Lawyer

You might have access to long-term disability (LTD) benefits through your employer’s group insurance plan, or through an insurance policy you pay for independently. Provided you have adequate insurance coverage, you might be able to access these potentially life-saving benefits after being diagnosed with a disabling medical condition that prevents you from carrying out the duties of your chosen occupation. These might include: 

• Catastrophic injuries
• Chronic illnesses
• Severe mental health disorders
• And possibly more

LTD benefits are intended to help eligible insurance policyholders by providing them with monthly income replacement payments when their disabling medical condition prohibits them from working. In order to apply for LTD benefits, claimants must first exhaust all other insurance benefits available to them, including short-term disability benefits and Employment Insurance (EI) sickness benefits. 

Claimants must also be able to include certain substantiating evidence along with their application for benefits. This evidence should be able to prove that:

• A medical professional has diagnosed them with a disabling medical condition
• The claimant has been receiving prolonged, ongoing medical treatment for this condition
• As a direct result of the medical condition they have developed or sustained, the claimant is unable to perform the duties of their job
• And possibly more

Examples of substantiating evidence that might be used to illustrate the severity of the claimant’s medical condition and its prohibitive impact on their ability to perform the duties of their job include:

• Medical records 
• Results of medical examinations 
• Statements from attending physicians 
• A detailed description of job duties 
• A statement from plan sponsor (i.e. employer) 
• Other documentation  

Unfortunately, certain conditions cannot be objectively measured by administering or analyzing medical tests, nor can their symptoms be observed by third parties. The symptoms of so-called “invisible” illnesses or injuries are experienced subjectively by each patient, who might be in extraordinary pain and distress but unable to prove the severity of their conditions with objective medical evidence. As such, people who submit LTD benefits claims for these unobservable illnesses or injuries are often met with undue disbelief or suspicion. Oftentimes, their claims are dismissed outright due to a lack of substantiating evidence. Common examples of so-called invisible medical complaints that often subject a benefits claimant to additional scrutiny include:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Chronic pain or complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) 
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Fibromyalgia  
• Arthritis
• And more

Insurance providers frequently deny LTD benefits claims for a number of different reasons. Even policyholders whose claims include thorough, compelling medical evidence illustrating the severity of their medical conditions can be denied the funds to which they should be entitled.

If your claim for LTD benefits was unfairly denied by your insurance company, contact our Fort Frances long-term disability lawyers today and receive a free initial consultation.

Call 1-800-JUSTICE to Speak with Our Long-Term Disability Lawyers Serving Fort Frances

Our Fort Frances long-term disability lawyers offer a free initial consultation to all prospective clients. If the benefits payments you should be able to collect have been withheld from you for unfair reasons, our long-term disability lawyers serving Fort Frances may be able to fight on your behalf to help you recover the compensation you are owed.

To schedule your free initial consultation and receive personalized legal advice about options that might be available to you, call 1-800-JUSTICE and speak with our Fort Frances long-term disability lawyers today.