Because of the potential for people to suffer from disabling injuries or illnesses that prevent them from returning to their jobs, purchasing long-term disability insurance can be a smart way to be protected. If you are disabled and are preparing to file a claim for benefits, there are some important things that you should know. Osterhout Berger Disability Law is proud to help people in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania with their long-term disability claims and appeals.
Appealing a Denial
You should try not to feel too discouraged if you receive a notice in the mail that your insurance company has denied your claim. Insurance companies are motivated to reduce their losses and to increase their profits, and one way that they do this is by minimizing the amounts that they pay out on claims. Your letter will include the reasons why your insurance company denied your claim. It will also tell you how to appeal the decision and give you a deadline for doing so. Insurance companies have their own internal appeals processes, and you must appeal your denial through your company’s process before you can file a lawsuit against the company. Courts will not accept cases until the claimants have exhausted all of the potential remedies that are offered through the in-house appeals process.
Things to Keep in Mind
There are some mistakes that are commonly made by people during their appeals. It is important for you to know what you should do and what you should avoid doing. Some people fail to file their appeals by the deadline contained in their letters. If you do not meet the deadline, you will be barred from trying to seek benefits for your disability from your company again. Make certain that you file your appeal before your deadline expires. You should also avoid firing off your appeal without first reviewing the information in your file. Request a copy of your file from the company. It will contain the information that the company used to deny your claim.
Don’t talk about your claim orally with the company. Instead, ask the company to conduct all of the communication with you in writing, and keep copies of the correspondence you send and receive. Make sure that all of the evidence that you submit to your company is sent by certified, return-receipt mail. This can help you prove that you sent documents and when you sent them. Don’t stop seeing your doctor even if you feel as if your condition won’t improve. It is important to build the medical evidence of your condition in your file.
Getting the Disability Benefits you Deserve
Getting help with your appeal of your denial or with your initial claim from one of the experienced disability lawyers at Osterhout Berger Disability Law can make the difference in your ultimately receiving the benefits to which you are entitled. We will ask you to assist your lawyer with your claim by getting examinations, keeping all of your medical appointments, continuing with your follow-up treatment and submitting to assessments. We do this to help to add as much evidence that supports the basis for your claim as possible. If we later have to file a lawsuit on your behalf against the company, we will only be able to rely on the evidence that is in the insurance company’s file for your claim. This makes adding documents that are favorable to you very important.
Long-term disability insurance can offer a vital financial safety net for you when you are injured and become disabled. One of the experienced attorneys at Osterhout Berger Disability Law will work closely with you to try to secure the benefits that you deserve. Contact us today to tell us more about your case.
