Long-Term Disability Lawyer Serving River Vale, NJ
When you develop a medical condition that prevents you from working, you must consider filing for long-term disability (LTD) benefits. These benefits can help protect your income while allowing you to focus on your health. This process can be overwhelming, especially when dealing with your insurance company.
Whether you are filing an initial claim or appealing a denial of benefits, a long-term disability lawyer serving River Vale, NJ from Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick is ready to assist you. We understand how frustrating this process can be and want to help guide you through it so that you may receive your LTD benefits. Call us today at 800-544-9144 for a free case evaluation.
How Can a Long-Term Disability Lawyer Help with Filing for LTD Benefits?
The disability rate between 2016 and 2020 in River Vale, NJ was 2.8 percent. As such, many people in the River Vale area may need to file for long-term disability benefits. Yet there are several issues that can arise during the claim process. While many claimants decide to handle their claims alone, it is beneficial to have an LTD attorney to assist them.
If you receive your long-term disability benefits through your employer, it is called a group policy and is governed by ERISA. An ERISA attorney understands the complexities thereof. For example, ERISA has its own set of deadlines and rules. These deadlines and rules are strict. If a claimant misunderstands a rule or submits certain requirements past a noted deadline, it can result in a denial of their claim. Moreover, while ERISA is supposed to protect employees, it often favors the insurance company instead.
Under ERISA law, you may not submit new or updated evidence after the administrative appeal stage. This means that if your claim were to go litigation, you would not have the option to present new evidence to support your claim. Additionally, such litigation often is decided in favor of the insurance company. A long-term disability attorney knows how to navigate these cases to avoid common mistakes.
There are numerous aspects of the LTD process of which claimants must be aware, including the information contained within their policy. A claimant’s long-term disability policy contains important information, such as the definition of disability, information on the waiting period, deadlines, information on the maximum benefit period, exclusions and limitations, and more.
These policies are often hard to understand, and this can lead to mistakes. A long-term disability insurance attorney can thoroughly review your policy to ensure that nothing is misunderstood.
CCK Can Collect the Best Evidence to Reinforce Your LTD Claim
Claimants must prove they are disabled under the definition of disability contained within their policy. Medical records are often the primary source of evidence for such claims. Yet these records are rarely enough to win a claim.
Therefore, it is vital that claimants submit supplemental evidence. CCK uses a variety of supplemental evidence. We will evaluate your policy and determine the best evidence to collect to prove your disability. Supplemental evidence can include:
- Specialized reports from treating physicians: Medical records often do not tell the entire story of your condition. Your treating physicians, however, have unique insights into how your condition affects you. Obtaining a specialized report from your treating physician(s) can illustrate how far-reaching your condition is. It is important to maintain an open dialogue with your doctors so that they may fully and accurately describe your condition.
- Statements from family, friends, and coworkers: The people who see you each day witness how your condition impairs your ability to work. Obtaining official witness statements from family and friends can show how your condition affects you in your private life while statements from coworkers can illustrate how your condition impairs you at work.
- Evaluations from outside experts: Outside experts can provide additional evaluations on your condition. CCK works with several outside experts who can provide objective opinions to strengthen your claim. These experts can perform functional capacity, neurophysiological, and vocational evaluations.
CCK Can Alleviate the Stress of Dealing with the Insurance Company
Insurance companies should handle every claim fairly; however, this is not the reality. Unfortunately, insurance companies prioritize their financial needs over the health needs of their clients. This results in many claim and appeal denials.
Our long-term disability team serving River Vale, NJ is prepared to ensure that your insurance company fairly handles your claim. We have over 30 years of collected experience and know how they operate.
It can be stressful dealing with your insurance company. They often repeatedly ask for more information. A long-term disability attorney from Chisholm Chisholm & Kilpatrick will act as a point of contact between you and your insurer so that you never have to directly deal with them.
After your insurance company approves your benefits and you begin receiving your monthly payments, CCK can continue to represent you. Often, insurance companies continue to require updated evidence and documentation. If you do not submit what they ask for they may terminate your benefits. We can continue to act as your point of contact to ensure that you retain your benefits.
Call Us Today for a Free Case Evaluation
When a debilitating condition prevents you from working, you must consider filing for long-term disability benefits. While this process can be overwhelming, it is not one you must do alone. Whether you are filing an initial claim or appealing a denial or termination of benefits, CCK can assist you.
You are entitled to your LTD benefits, and we are prepared to fight for your benefits. We believe you should not have to worry about the claim process. We free up your time so that you can focus on your health.
Call us today at 800-544-9144 for a free case evaluation with a member of our team serving River Vale, NJ, and see how we may be able to help.
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