Long-Term Disability Lawyer Serving Sharon, MA

When you develop a medical condition that prevents you from working, you should consider filing for long-term disability (LTD) benefits.  LTD benefits protect your income and allow you to focus on your health.  However, this process can become overwhelming when you must deal with insurance companies.

Whether you are filing an initial claim or appealing a denial of benefits, you do not have to do it alone.  A long-term disability lawyer serving Sharon, MA from Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick can assist you throughout the entire process.  Call 800-544-9144 for a free consultation with a member of our team.

Why Should You Contact an LTD Attorney When Filing for Benefits?

The disability rate in Sharon, MA between 2015 and 2019 was 5.0 percent for people aged 65 and younger.  While many claimants decide to handle LTD claims on their own, there are benefits to contacting an LTD attorney.  There are complexities when you need to file for long-term disability benefits.  Our team understands these complexities and wants to help you navigate them.

For many, dealing with an insurance company is frustrating.  The long-term disability attorneys at CCK have over three decades of experience dealing with insurance companies and know how they operate.  Therefore, our team will act as a point of contact between you and your insurance company.  This ensures you never deal directly with them, which frees up your time to focus on what matters: your health.

A long-term disability insurance lawyer can review your LTD policy.  Your policy contains a lot of valuable information, such as a definition of disability.  The definition of disability located within your policy is important – you must prove you meet this definition to receive your benefits.  Our team will evaluate your definition to determine the best evidence to gather.

Additionally, the legal team at Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick understand the added stress that comes from group policies governed by ERISA law.  ERISA law has its own strict deadlines and rules.  If these deadlines and rules are not adhered to, it can result in a denial of your claim or appeal.  An ERISA attorney serving Sharon, MA from CCK will track these deadlines and rules on your behalf.

We Will Gather the Best Evidence to Prove Your Disability

Medical records are often the primary source of evidence that claimants submit as part of their LTD claim.  However, these records are usually not enough to win.  Supplemental evidence can strengthen a claim and raise the odds of an approval.  Under ERISA, a claimant may not submit new evidence after the appeal stage.  Therefore, it is vital to gather the best evidence early in the process.

CCK utilizes a variety of supplement evidence to help reinforce your claim.  This supplemental evidence can include:

• Specialized reports from treating physicians: Medical records do not always fully document how far-reaching and debilitating your condition is. Obtaining a specialized report from your treating physician can illustrate the seriousness of your condition.  Your physician has insight into how your condition affects you each day.  It is important to maintain an open dialogue with your physician so they can fully and accurately describe your disability.
• Witness statements from family, friends, and coworkers: The people who see you every day witness firsthand how your condition affects you. Witness statements from family members and close friends vouch for how your condition impacts you in your private life, while witness statements from coworkers show how your condition impairs you at work.
• Evaluations from outside experts: Submitting additional evaluations from outside experts illustrates how your condition impairs your ability to work. For example, a vocational expert can do an assessment showing how your condition affects you in your specific job.  Other objective, outside assessments include functional capacity and neurophysiological evaluations.

CCK Alleviates the Stress of Dealing with the Insurance Company

Insurance companies should handle each claim fairly.  However, this does not always happen.  They often prioritize their financial needs over the health needs of their clients.  This often results in denials of claims and appeals.  Moreover, insurance companies frequently ask for updated documentation and evidence.  We do not believe that you should worry about this, so we take care of all correspondence relating to your insurance company.

Additionally, insurance companies are known to employ surveillance tactics on claimants.  They do not want to pay claimants if they can help it.  If they can discover a reason to deny a claim, they will.  These surveillance tactics often result in exaggerated “evidence” that the insurance company will use as the basis of their denial.  The long-term disability lawyers at Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick are familiar with these tactics and will fight against them to ensure that you receive your benefits.

Moreover, if you must appeal a denial of benefits, our team will evaluate your denial letter and determine the best way forward.  We will help you appeal such decisions so that you may receive your benefits.  Should your case go to litigation, we will represent you.

Call Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick Today for a Free Consultation

If you have a debilitating medical condition that is preventing you from adequately carrying out the duties of your job, you may need to apply for long-term disability benefits.  You should not have to worry about the insurance company – you should be focusing on managing your condition.

The LTD lawyers serving Sharon, MA from Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick can help prove you are disabled under the terms of your policy.  Additionally, if your insurance company wrongfully denies your claim or appeal, we are prepared to fight on your behalf.  Call us today at 800-544-9144 for a free consultation with a member of our team.