If you are applying for long term disability (LTD) benefits this most likely means you are unable to work due to some illness or injury. A person filing an LTD claim has a number of hurdles to clear, however, before LTD approval. The most important is to prove, with medical evidence, that you meet your insurance policy’s definition of disability. Here are a couple of different strategies you can use to help your case against the insurance company in getting approved for long term disability benefits:
The importance of medical evidence for an LTD approval
Medical Evidence: It is important to make sure that you have the medical evidence to back up your claim for “total disability” (or whatever the disability test is, depending on your specific policy). The best way to do this is by having your family doctor’s support in the form of a letter or report. Many people do not have a family doctor these days. If this is the case for you then we recommend you visit a walk-in clinic like Appletree and build a report with a specific doctor there. It may require multiple visits and explanations as to why you feel you are disabled. Your family doctor or walk-in clinic doctor will eventually requisition the appropriate tests (such as MRI, blood tests, etc) to determine the source of your disability. Having your doctor’s support is crucial to being approved for long term disability benefits.
Complete your LTD forms correctly
Claim Forms: It is equally important to make sure you have filled out the LTD claim forms correctly. Most claims forms would like for you as the claimant to include general demographic information, banking information, claim information, a list of health care professionals you have consulted, other income sources, occupational information, and diagnostic and treatment information regarding the physical and psychological aspects of your disability. Your claim will have different components to fill out for you, your employer, and physicians. You will want to make sure the claims form is filled out as detailed and accurately as possible. Do not leave out any information. The more supporting evidence you can provide the higher the chance that you will be approved. You will also want to make sure that your disability claims forms are submitted in a timely manner. You will want to check with your policy as soon as possible to make sure that timelines are not missed. Each policy will have a different timeline as to when you should apply for long term disability.
Of course, often times insurance companies will deny your claim even though you ought to be approved based on the medical evidence you have provided them. Do not be too surprised about this. You will have two options: appeal internally by providing the insurance company more medical evidence in support of your claim for total disability; or sue the insurance company in superior court because you feel strongly that you should have been approved. You may want to consider the latter option if you feel as though there is no more medical evidence that you can provide and that you ought to be approved for long term disability.
The quickest solution for an LTD approval
Sometimes a lawsuit is often the fastest way to deal with a denied claim because the internal appeals process is time consuming and often times ends up in another denial.
