If you have an injury or disability that will prevent you from working for an extended period, you should not hesitate to submit a claim for long-term disability benefits. Your policy may be from your employer or a private long-term disability insurance plan. While notifying your employer is the first step in that process, the more crucial step is providing sufficient information to support your claim.
To increase your chances of your claim being approved, hire a long-term disability attorney to help you gather, organize, and submit the necessary information. Here at Marc Whitehead & Associates, we protect the rights of clients throughout the United States.
What information do long-term disability insurance companies want to see?
Insurance companies will require both medical and vocational evidence to verify your disability and to confirm that it prevents you from performing the regular tasks and duties of your job.
Medical evidence includes the following:
- Results of medical examinations, diagnostic tests, and other objective evidence of your injury or disability (as opposed to subjective opinions on matters such as pain or fatigue that objective testing procedures cannot verify).
- Treatment notes and opinions of physicians and specialists.
- Reports and records from emergency room and hospital visits.
- A physician’s statement and responses to questions on a Residual Function Capacity (RFC) Questionnaire.
Vocational evidence is information that is specific to your job functions, including:
- A detailed job description, preferably supplied by your employer.
- Your employment history, including all of your positions and job titles and the tasks associated with each position.
- Your educational background and information that describes how it coincides with your employment.
- Other potential job opportunities you have had with your current employer and any third parties.
For a free legal consultation, call 800-562-9830
How can a long-term disability lawyer help you provide information to support your claim?
Many of the required forms from your disability insurance carrier and its procedures can create problems if you do not provide clear information or inadvertently miss important deadlines. For example, your insurance company might ask your physician to assess how long you can walk, sit, and stand during any given workday and to categorize your abilities as occasional, frequent, or continuous.
Further, your insurance company might speak directly with your physician and summarize the conversation in a letter. That summary may become final and definitive if your physician fails to respond to it, even if it does not accurately reflect the conversation.
An experienced long-term disability lawyer will analyze every document and response in your file to ensure nothing is misrepresented in your claim.
Call Marc Whiteheads & Associates for a free consultation
We help clients gather, organize, and submit all the required information, documents, and materials that a disability insurance company requires to review a claim. We also manage communications with insurance companies and monitor insurance company practices that can delay the processing of a claim or cause a denial.
Please call our offices for a no-fee consultation about the information you need to provide to support your claim and the steps you will need to take. Our firm works on a contingency fee basis, meaning there are no upfront or out-of-pocket fees. We only get paid if you do.
Call or text 800-562-9830 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form
