Individually Crafted Legal Solutions
for Disability, Employee Benefits
and Insurance Claimants
for Disability, Employee Benefits
and Insurance Claimants
Long-Term Disability Claims are Complicated
When illnesses or injuries prevent California workers from performing the duties required on the job, they may be grateful to have long-term disability insurance policies. These policies may come through employers or be purchased privately. However, it is not as easy as simply asking for funds to carry them through the time when they are unable to work. Filing a disability claim is complicated, and appealing a denial may be equally stressful.
What many may not realize when filing a disability claim is that their policies may have deadlines. Someone who is injured or diagnosed with an illness may have a limited amount of time to file for benefits. Since there is often a tremendous amount of documentation required for a successful claim, time is of the essence. Those filing claims for disability insurance will submit information about their jobs, salaries, finances and the type of illness or injury they have suffered. They must also include specific statements from their doctors.
If a claim is denied, it may be because of inaccurate or insufficient documentation or that the insurance policy excludes the particular condition with which the worker suffers. Workers who have disability insurance through their jobs can usually file an appeal although the process is strict and leaves little room for error. Someone with private insurance would be wise to understand the terms of the policy and whether it provides for an appeals process or demands a lawsuit in the event of a rejected claim.
Since the process of filing and appealing long-term disability insurance claims is complex, it can be frustrating to deal with for someone who is ill or in pain. Meeting deadlines and attending to administrative appeals may involve legal issues with which the average person may be unfamiliar. Allowing an experienced California attorney to navigate those waters may relieve a suffering worker of the frustration and may improve the chances of avoiding a rejected claim in the first place.
Source: FindLaw, “Disability Insurers and the Claim Process,” accessed Jan. 13, 2018