Qualifying for Long Term Disability Benefits
If you are suffering from a medical condition or injury that has left you disabled, with physical limitations and unable to work, you may qualify for long term disability insurance. However, some insurance companies or employers may deny your long term disability benefits. It is important to understand how to qualify for it before making your claim to increase the likelihood of receiving benefits.
Many insurance companies have different requirements and benefits for long term disability (LTD). You shouldn’t have to worry about not being able to qualify. Getting connected with a law firm or long term disability attorney may make a difference in your case.
You shouldn’t have to worry about being able to support yourself and your family due to a disability. Get the long-term disability benefits you deserve. John Dunlap is an experienced disability attorney that may be willing to help. Call today for a free 20 minute session to discuss your case.
What Illnesses Qualify for Long Term Disability?
Long term disability insurance is used when your time off from work due to a disability is longer than a short term disability period. If you have suffered an injury or illness that has made you unable to work for a significant length of time, you may qualify for long term disability.
Long term disability insurance compensates for your income when you cannot work due a non-work related injury or illness. If you qualify for a LTD claim, you may receive 50%-80% of your prior earnings for several months or years.
When you file a long-term disability claim, you may be asked to prove your disability in order to qualify for disability insurance. The definition of disability in this case isn’t always clear-cut, and providing medical evidence can be difficult. The list includes mental health conditions as well as physical disabilities. There are many different physical, psychological, and medical conditions that could qualify you for a long term disability claim:
- Anxiety
- Back Pain/Disorders
- Bipolar Disorder
- Brain Injury
- Cancer
- Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
- Cerebral Atrophy
- Chronic Pain
- Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD)
- Crohn’s Disease
- Depression
- Diabetes
- Epilepsy
- Eye Disorders
- Hearing Impairment
- Heart Disease
- Hepatitis
- Herniated Disc(s)
- Kidney Disease
- Leukemia
- Lung Disease/Cancer
- Lupus
- Multiple Sclerosis (MS)
- Neck/Cervical Disorders
- Seizures
- Parkinson’s Disease
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Speech Disorders
- Spinal Stenosis
- Stroke
If you have any of these conditions listed above, you may qualify for LTD. Additionally, many of these conditions and a combination of conditions may qualify you for LTD. If you are unsure if you qualify for disability or were denied LTD, an attorney may be able to help.
Getting a Medical Diagnosis
In order to qualify for disability benefits, you must be diagnosed by a doctor to prove your condition in most cases. If you are asked to prove your disability, a proper diagnosis from a medical professional is beneficial to receiving benefits. Doctors are the ones who will determine your disability status which decides if you’re eligible to receive benefits.
Well written documentation from a doctor can present strong evidence for your disability claim. Additionally, it is important to consult your insurance plan to see what is covered and what is not. If an insurance company denies you disability benefits, it may be because they are looking for gaps of information.
If your medical records and diagnosis do not add up, they may try to deny you your disability benefits. This could leave you in financial hardship if you are unable to work and unable to receive benefits. Working with an attorney to navigate through making a claim can help you avoid creating gaps in documentation that may lead to a claim denial.
Your physician’s opinion and diagnosis is critical to your case. Insurance companies may want hard proof of your medical diagnosis so it can be critical to keep all your records, lab work, X-RAYS, MRI’s, clinical notes, surgery reports, and more on file.
Additionally, if you are receiving ongoing treatment for a condition, it is important that you document it. Insurance companies may try to deny you disability benefits if you stop seeking treatment for your condition. Failure to continue your treatment could result in you not receiving your benefits.
If you were diagnosed with pre-existing medical conditions before having disability insurance, you may be denied disability benefits. If you were treated or diagnosed with a disability within a certain period before your LTD eligibility began, you may be denied benefits from your insurance company.
The list of medical conditions that leave people unable to properly do their job is extensive. Insurance companies may try to deny the link between your underlying medical condition and your ability to work. This results in many employees being turned away and denied their benefits. An attorney may be able to help you make the connection between your disability and your ability to work.
What Do I Do If I Am Denied?
Unfortunately, it has become common for insurance companies to deny long term disability benefits. If you are denied or are afraid you will be denied, you should consider contacting an attorney for assistance.
Insurance companies often deny legitimate claims, leaving people helpless and overwhelmed. Claimants usually have 180 days to file an appeal of their denial. Additionally, if you have been fired or laid off from your job with the intent to file a disability claim, an attorney may be able to help.
A disability attorney may be able to help you with your case and get you the benefits you deserve. John Dunlap is an experienced attorney and has worked on a large number of both short-term and long-term disability insurance cases over the years.
You shouldn’t have to worry about not getting the disability benefits you deserve. Finding the right legal help could make a difference in your case. Whether you’re looking for help with Social Security disability, short-term disability insurance, or long-term disability claims, we can help you with the claims process and get you the monthly benefit you need. Call today for a free consultation to discuss your unique case.