Navigating employers through their legal obligations.
If you are struggling with a long-term disability (LTD) and have been denied or underpaid by your insurance provider, you don’t have to face it alone. Our Workplace Law Group specializes in long-term disability claims and can help you secure the benefits you deserve. With decades of experience handling complex disability insurance claims, we understand the challenges you’re facing and are here to provide professional legal support throughout every step of the process.
What is Long-Term Disability Insurance?
Long-term disability insurance (LTD) provides financial support to individuals who are unable to work due to a serious illness or injury. However, even with an approved claim, insurance companies often make it difficult for claimants to receive full benefits.
Working with a Long-Term Disability Lawyer: Navigating a long-term disability claim can be overwhelming, especially when you face relentless requests for updated medical information, supposed requirements to visit the insurer’s doctors or attend work-hardening programs or invasive demands for telephone interviews or home visits. An experienced LTD lawyer can explain your rights and obligations under the insurance policies and assist with navigating the relationships with these insurers and other third parties with overlapping jurisdiction, such as your employer, union, WorkSafe BC, and medical professionals.
Some common reasons claimants need legal representation include:
- Denial of long-term disability claims: If your insurer denies your claim, you do not necessarily need to jump straight to litigation. You may have important benefits, such as pension benefits connected to ongoing employment, which could be compromised by filing a lawsuit or other complaint too quickly. We can help you make these decisions.
- Appealing a denial: In many cases, a denial can and should be appealed. A lawyer can help prepare a strong appeal that could overturn the denial and reinstate your benefits. If you’ve already appealed and been denied you must be very careful not to miss any limitation periods to file an action in court or file a complaint. A lawyer can advise you what that deadline is.
- Tactics used by insurance companies: Insurers often use delaying tactics or make demands for information that seem invasive, irrelevant, or redundant. Claims management tactics such as these can cause frustration, upset, and humiliation and exacerbate existing medical conditions. A lawyer can handle these strategies and keep your case on track.
Common Types of Long-Term Disabilities We Handle:
Our law firm has successfully assisted with long-term disability cases involving a variety of illnesses and injuries, including:
- Mental Health conditions (depression, anxiety, PTSD, Bipolar disorder)
- Myalgic encephalomyelitis, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (ME)
- Long COVID
- Chronic pain
- Digestive Disorders
- Mental health conditions (such as depression, anxiety, PTSD)
- Cancer or post-cancer treatment issues
- Neurological conditions (e.g., multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease)
- Heart disease
- Hearing or Vision Impairment
- Degenerative Disc Disease
- Life-threatening illnesses
- Rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, ankylosing spondylitis, osteoarthritis
- Undiagnosed issues
- Physical injuries
A lawyer experienced with the specifics of a medical condition can help with the nuances of policy wordings insurers may try to manipulate to limit your entitlements to benefits.
