The benefits of hiring a disability lawyer and the right time to do so
According to Statistics Canada, in 2017, one in five Canadians aged 15 or over had one or more disabilities. Additionally, only 59.4% of those with disabilities aged 25 to 64 are employed. For those who are cannot work, filing long-term disability (LTD) claims can prove quite tricky. Often, insurance companies will unfairly deny or cut-off claims, leaving many people in financial distress. In instances such as these, it may be best to consider hiring a disability lawyer. Hiring a disability lawyer when filing your claim or when fighting a denial can be beneficial for several reasons.
What does a disability lawyer do?
Dealing with insurance companies when it comes to getting money from them is a tricky process. They don’t make money if they’re always paying out, so it’s not uncommon for them to deny claims, even when they shouldn’t. Disability lawyers can help you in various ways, including:
- Helping you file a disability claim
- Appealing a denied claim that has
- Filing for reconsideration
- Taking legal action against your insurance company
You don’t need to wait until your claim has been rejected to hire a disability lawyer. They can help you with filing your claim by:
- Ensuring that you meet application deadlines
- Obtaining credible and persuasive evidence of your disability
- Assisting you in completing claim forms (which aren’t always very straight-forward)
- Communicating with your insurance company on your behalf
At the end of the day, your disability lawyer has an obligation to help you in every way possible and to the fullest extent of their abilities. There are ethical and professional standards that hold them accountable as someone who is advocating for you.
Benefits of hiring a disability lawyer
They do all the heavy lifting
Filling out the forms for a disability claim is not a short process. Filling out pages of forms, gathering necessary information, requesting medical evidence, and more can be very time consuming and draining. Doing all of that work on your own to then later get denied would be extremely discouraging. Your disability lawyer can do all of this work for you, increasing your likelihood of submitting a successful claim. Furthermore, navigating the process of dealing with your insurance company alone can also be exhausting. A disability lawyer can interact with them on your behalf instead of you doing it yourself.
They can help you understand what’s going on
Some insurance companies will take advantage of complex claim processes when denying them by citing missing requirements of incomplete information. It’s imperative that you can understand the terms and conditions of your policy. No policy is precisely the same; qualifying words and terminology can vary; however, a disability lawyer speaks the language of disability claims fluently.
Additionally, if you’re denied or cut off from benefits, you may not understand why. A disability lawyer can help you understand every step of the process and explain legal terminology to you in a way that makes sense.
They know what medical evidence you need
To submit a claim, you will need to provide evidence of your disability and the inability to work from medical professionals that are treating you. A disability lawyer will ensure that you have the necessary medical records. They also know what kind of evidence will support your claim the best.
More often than not, insurance companies will also require that you have a medical examination done by one of their physicians. Again, keeping in mind that insurance companies try to avoid paying out claims, the physicians that they hire may downplay the severity of your disability. By doing so, it makes it easier for them to deny your claim. A disability lawyer can help you fight this when it happens.
You’re not alone
There is no wrong time to hire a disability lawyer during your LTD claim process. You do not have to go through it alone; a qualified and experienced attorney will fight for and alongside you. It is also important to note that if you choose to go through the application process on your own, it may not be wise to continue on your own if you get denied. Unless you have a substantial amount of additional evidence you can provide, insurance companies will, unfortunately, continue to reject you. Hiring legal help will intimidate them and hold them accountable.