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When they can no longer work, many people turn to their MetLife long-term disability insurance. Unfortunately, the company denies a large number of claims each year, and many deserving people are left in financial limbo.

Before you give up and accept MetLife’s decision, you should always consult with a respected disability insurance lawyer at Bryant Legal Group. We have extensive experience with MetLife disability insurance appeals, and can help you understand your legal options. Keep reading to learn the essential steps you should take after a disability insurance denial.

MetLife Is a Global Insurance Giant

MetLife is a massive global company that made almost $68 billion in total revenue in 2018 alone. It’s been in operation for more than 150 years and sells insurance products in more than 40 countries. While MetLife is typically associated life insurance and financial services, the company has a robust disability insurance business as well.

MetLife Has a Track Record of Denying Valid Claims

While many of us associated MetLife with friendly images of blimps at sporting events and advertising with cartoon characters, it is a hard-nosed, savvy company. Unfortunately, it has sometimes run afoul of state insurance regulators.

MetLife has a history of mishandling claims and even losing them. In January of 2019, New York regulators fined MetLife $19.75 million for mishandling and misplacing thousands of its clients’ pension claims. It also must pay hundreds of millions to those whose claims were lost, delayed, or otherwise mishandled.

For large companies like MetLife, their primary goal is profit. They have thousands of claims to process and with so many pieces of the puzzle, cutting corners is more common that any of us want to admit. However, there are ways you can protect yourself and improve your likelihood of getting the disability benefits you deserve.

RELATED ARTICLE: When Should I Speak With a Disability Lawyer?

 

4 Ways You Can Strengthen Your MetLife Disability Insurance Claim

If MetLife denied your disability insurance claim, you have a very short window of time to appeal the ruling, submit your evidence, and avoid catastrophically damaging your claim. This is particularly true if your disability insurance is employer-funded.

If MetLife denied your disability insurance claim, here’s what you need to do.

1. Don’t Expect MetLife to Go Above and Beyond for You

MetLife’s claims adjusters and representatives are focusing on for the company’s bottom line, not your future. They are unlikely to hunt down hard-to-find records, collect your doctors’ statements, or dig deep into your complicated medical conditions. Instead you, or your disability insurance lawyer, need to do all of this important leg work for them.

2. Call a Disability Insurance Lawyer Right Away

Employer-sponsored disability plans fall under ERISA, a federal law that imposes strict procedural rules on appeals. Navigating this process is notoriously tricky, fast-moving, and can easily trip you up. When you consult with an experienced disability insurance lawyer early on, you’re less likely to make mistakes that could cost you your benefits.

3. Be Frank With Your Doctor

Your medical records and doctors’ notes will be a significant portion of your evidence. If they don’t accurately document your condition, you will be at a disadvantage. You should always be as candid as possible when they’re speaking with your doctors about your conditions. Don’t sugarcoat your abilities, pain, or other daily details that might make the difference in your appeal.

4. Make Sure Your Evidentiary Record Is Complete

In an ERISA claim, you only have a limited amount of time to submit evidence. Once MetLife reviews your appeal and makes its final decision, you cannot provide submit additional information, no matter how important it is to your case.

Unfortunately, many people make the mistake of submitting an appeal without additional evidence. Your lawyer can help you collect and submit evidence that supports your allegations and documents your disabilities.

Lastly, don’t give up. MetLife denies a lot of legitimate disability insurance claims every year. Rather, consult with a knowledgeable lawyer who will advocate on your behalf.

RELATED ARTICLE: 5 Essential Questions You Should Ask a Disability Lawyer

Bryant Legal Group: Disability Lawyers Who Can Fight for Your Rights

If MetLife recently denied your disability claim, it’s in your best interest to consult with a skilled lawyer at Bryant Legal Group. We are proud to help our clients assess their legal options, identify the correct procedures, “stack” their evidentiary record, and negotiate with the long-term disability company.

To learn more about our approach and how we might be able to help you, please contact us today to receive a free and confidential consultation. You can reach Bryant Legal Group by calling 312-586-9128 or completing this brief online form.

As you prepare to file a disability insurance claim, you might hear a lot of conflicting opinions about whether you need a lawyer. While you may be tempted to postpone hiring an attorney, it’s typically in your best interest to consult with one before you file a disability claim — rather than at the end of the process.

Below, Bryant Legal Group explains why hiring a disability lawyer early on in the process can strengthen and streamline your claim.

Your Administrative Record Can Make or Break Your Disability Claim

If you’re filing for employer-sponsored disability benefits, your claim is controlled by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). Under ERISA, you have a limited window of time to submit evidence that supports your claim.

While your claim is pending with the insurance company, you should submit as much supporting evidence as possible. This could include medical records, vocational information, work restriction or disability slips, and other data.

Once the insurance company issues a final decision in your claim, however, the courts will only consider the information contained in your “administrative record,” which consists of plan documents, your previously submitted evidence, and other information that was available to the insurance company. The court will not, under most circumstances, look at new evidence, no matter how important or relevant it might be.

RELATED ARTICLE: Building a Comprehensive Application for Disability Benefits

Unfortunately, it’s not uncommon for us to meet with disabled individuals after their decisions are final. Many times, their administrative records are missing important evidence that would improve their claims—but it’s just too late to submit it.

When you work with an experienced disability lawyer at Bryant Legal Group from Day One, we’ll carefully review your administrative record and supplement it with information that advances your disability claims. This “stacking of the record” should put you in the best possible position for a successful claim.

RELATED ARTICLE: ERISA Appeal Best Practices

ERISA Plans Include Complex Terms and Conditions

Before you file a disability insurance claim, it’s always best to review the Plan Document. This document includes terms, conditions, exclusions, waiting periods, and filing deadlines that will impact your claim for benefits. Many of these requirements are written in highly technical language that is difficult to read and interpret.

Unless you have a strong grasp of your disability insurance plan’s requirements and procedures, it’s virtually impossible to file a successful claim. However, an experienced Chicago disability lawyer can help you identify:

  • The plan’s waiting, qualification, or elimination periods
  • How long you have to file your claim
  • Whether it uses an “own occupation” or “all occupation” definition of disability
  • The conditions and situations that are excluded by the policy
  • The benefits you may be eligible to receive
  • How long you will remain eligible for benefits

This information will be the foundation for your disability insurance claim strategy.

RELATED ARTICLE: Disability Claimants Must Seek Timely and Adequate Care to Secure Full Benefits

 

Knowledge Is Power

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by your ERISA claim, or are afraid of insurance company surveillance, a disability insurance lawyer can help alleviate those feelings. At Bryant Legal Group, we take a practical, hands-on approach to our client relationships. We provide the kind of emotional support, case-specific information, and results-driven strategies that come from decades of disability law experience.

Rather than worrying about the accuracy of the information they give the insurance company, hunting down important medical records, or proofreading their application for benefits, our clients rest assured that Bryant Legal Group’s lawyers are overseeing the details of their disability claim. Our work leaves our clients with the time to focus on what’s really important — their health and the people they care about.

Bryant Legal Group: Practical Advice from Respected Disability Lawyers

Bryant Legal Group’s team of Chicago disability lawyers has built a strong reputation for our advocacy and sophisticated strategies. Just as importantly, we believe every disability claimant deserves client-focused representation and the best possible results. To request a free consultation, please call us at 312-561-3010 or complete this brief online form.