Long-Term Disability Lawyer Serving Bethesda, MD
When you develop a debilitating medical condition that prevents you from working, it can be overwhelming. In such situations, you may need to file for long-term disability (LTD) benefits.
Frustrations may arise from dealing with the insurance company, collecting evidence, and proving that you truly are disabled. Moreover, if your insurer denies your claim, you must submit an appeal to receive these benefits. The process can be disheartening.
However, a long-term disability (LTD) lawyer serving Bethesda, MD from Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick is ready to assist you. We have the necessary experience to help you fight for your benefits. These benefits are important because they can protect a significant amount of your pre-disability earnings—sometimes up to 80 percent.
Call CCK today at 800-544-9144 for a free consultation with a member of our team.
Utilizing a Long-Term Disability Lawyer Can Help Your Claim
Some claimants decide to handle their long-term disability cases on their own. However, in our experience, this is not always the best option. It is easy to make simple mistakes when filing or appealing a claim, but these simple mistakes can lead to a denial of your benefits.
Mistakes are often made when claimants fail to understand their LTD policy. Such policies include a lot of vital information, such as the maximum benefit period, limitations, exclusions, important filing deadlines, and a definition of disability. A long-term disability insurance lawyer can help you make sense of these and other elements in your policy to ensure you avoid common missteps.
Nonetheless, many claimants also come across difficulties when dealing with ERISA law—a federal law that governs group LTD policies. These are policies provided by your employer.
ERISA has its own set of deadlines and strict regulations. If your claim or appeal is not compliant with this law, it may not receive a fair review, and you may receive a denial. CCK’s ERISA attorneys are well-versed in this law and can help ensure your claim is compliant.
We Can Gather the Best Evidence to Bolster Your Bethesda Claim
The definition of disability located within your policy is especially important. You must prove that your condition meets this definition to receive benefits.
To do this, you must submit evidence. Collecting and submitting this evidence can be overwhelming for some claimants. CCK’s long-term disability attorneys have over three decades of collective experience and know what insurance companies are looking for.
We can collect all evidence and documentation necessary to prove your claim and submit it on your behalf. While medical records are often your primary source of evidence, they may not be enough. Some claimants must submit supplemental evidence to bolster their claim.
CCK can collect this supplemental evidence for you. This evidence can include:
- Specialized reports from your treating physicians: Your doctor has unique insights into how your condition specifically affects you. They can draft a specialized report highlighting these aspects of your condition, which is why it is important to maintain an open dialogue with your doctor.
- Witness statements from personal acquaintances: Others often see how your condition impairs you, both at home and at work. These witness statements can illustrate your need for benefits by showing how far-reaching your condition is. Obtaining witness statements from family, friends, and coworkers can reinforce your claim.
- Additional evaluations by outside experts: Insurance companies prefer objective evidence, and sometimes it is necessary to submit additional medical evaluations. CCK works with several outside experts who can provide such evaluations. These can include functional capacity tests, neuropsychological assessments, and vocational evaluations.
CCK Can Alleviate the Stress of Dealing with the Insurance Company
Insurance companies should handle every LTD claim fairly, but this is not always the reality. These companies often prioritize their financial needs. When this occurs, it can lead to denials of claims.
In short, if an insurance company can decipher a reason to not approve a claim, they most likely will. It is easy to get stressed dealing with such companies when filing, or appealing, a long-term disability claim. CCK believes you should not have to worry about this stress.
CCK can handle the insurance company for you. We can act as a point of contact so that all correspondence must pass through us, first. This frees up your time to focus on what matters most: your health.
Additionally, we can track all deadlines, submit all documentation and evidence, and help you with your appeal, if needed. In short, we can help you at any stage of the LTD process.
Moreover, sometimes the insurance company still requests information even after you begin receiving your benefits. In some situations, we can continue to represent you to ensure your benefits are not wrongfully terminated.
Call CCK Today for a Free Consultation
If you are suffering from a debilitating medical condition that is preventing you from working, you must consider filing for long-term disability benefits. The disability rate in Bethesda, Maryland between 2016 and 2020 was 3.9 percent. As such, filing for such benefits may be necessary. A long-term disability lawyer from CCK serving Bethesda, Maryland can help.
Call us today at 800-544-9144 for a free consultation with a member of our team. We will evaluate your case and determine if we can assist you.
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Developing a disability can be stressful for you and your family. Fortunately, many employers offer long-term disability (LTD) benefits to their employees. This insurance — which you can also buy privately from an insurance company — can protect a percentage of your pre-disability earnings when you are unable to work due to an illness or […]