Chronic back pain can make it difficult to do everyday things like walking, lifting, or even focusing on a task. If you’re unable to work because of degenerative disc disease and your doctor supports your decision, you may be eligible for short-term or long-term disability insurance benefits. Unfortunately, back-related disability claims are often disputed by the insurance company. Confusion about the severity of your symptoms, conflicting medical opinions, and other factors can all affect your ability to obtain benefits. To learn more about degenerative disc disease and disability claims, keep reading. What Is Degenerative Disc Disease? Over time, your joints, including those in your spine, start to […]
Filing a disability insurance claim is a complex process that can have life-changing results, and hiring the right lawyer is crucial to your claim. However, not all disability lawyers share the same priorities or approaches. If you are filing a disability insurance claim, you’ll want to make sure that you hire a lawyer who is qualified, communicative, and considerate. We’ve compiled five essential questions to ask a disability insurance lawyer to help you decide whether they are right for you. 1. Where Is Your Office Located? While this may seem like a basic question, it’s essential to ensure that your lawyer has a local office. If you can’t tell from the firm’s website whether or not they […]
When Should I Speak with a Disability Insurance Lawyer?
Apr 23, 2019 | Blog | ShareAs 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 […]
Depression, Anxiety, and Disability Insurance: A Claimant’s Guide
Apr 16, 2019 | Blog | ShareGlobally, depression is the number one cause of disability. While mental health conditions are finally getting the attention they deserve, long-term disability (LTD) insurance companies are still reluctant to approve and pay claims related to depression and anxiety. If you’re considering an LTD claim for depression or anxiety, you need to review your plan documents carefully and prepare your evidence. Keep reading to learn more about the essentials of a successful mental health LTD claim. What Is Depression? Depression is much more than just feelings of sadness. You may suffer from major depressive disorder if you experience: Persistent sadness or […]
ERISA: When do “Lifetime” Healthcare Benefits Last a Lifetime?
Apr 10, 2019 | Blog | ShareDistrict Court Rules that Pension’s Healthcare Benefits Last a Lifetime By: Andrew B. Bryant The Northern District of Illinois recently addressed the question of whether healthcare insurance benefits under an ERISA pension plan lasted for a lifetime for two plaintiff retirees, despite the termination of the collecting bargaining agreement that established those benefits. In Its analysis, the Court noted that unlike pension benefits, insurance benefits (such as healthcare benefits) do not automatically vest by contract to plan members. Such benefits can be terminated by an employer. However, a plan agreement may by its terms vest such insurance benefits to plan […]
Third Circuit: “Own Occupation” and “Regular Occupation” Interchangeable
Apr 10, 2019 | Blog | ShareChristopher Patterson v. Aetna Life Insurance Company, No. 17-3566 (3d Cir. 2019) By: Stephen A. Jackson Patterson became disabled after back surgery and Aetna began paying benefits under a group long-term disability plan in 2007. In 2014, Aetna terminated those benefits after concluding Patterson was no longer disabled because he could fulfill the material duties of his “own occupation” as performed “in the national economy.” The term “own occupation” was not defined in the policy. Aetna determined Patterson’s “own occupation” “in the national economy” was sedentary and that while he could not do a job in a “heavier category” he […]
Do You Know the Deadline for Filing Your ERISA Claim?
Apr 9, 2019 | Blog | ShareDo You Know the Deadline for Filing Your ERISA Claim? Even if You Think You Do, You May Be Wrong While ERISA claims come with many obstacles, one of the most challenging is a disability insurance company’s right to shorten their plans’ appeal deadlines. Unfortunately, courts won’t give disabled workers and professionals who miss these deadlines much (if any) leeway. Unfortunately, once a deadline expires, it’s usually too late, and you’ll lose your right to benefits. The team at Bryant Legal Group is happy to meet with people who have missed their appeal deadline and will be there to guide […]
Multiple Sclerosis and Disability Insurance: A Claimant’s Guide
Apr 3, 2019 | Blog | ShareA multiple sclerosis (MS) diagnosis leads to a lot of questions, and you’re likely hearing conflicting information about your chances of receiving long-term disability (LTD) benefits. Keep reading to learn more about LTD benefits for MS, why this process is so complicated, and how you can strengthen your claim. What Is Multiple Sclerosis (MS)? Multiple sclerosis is a disease of the central nervous system that causes your immune system to attack your myelin, a fatty substance that covers and protects your nerves. When myelin is lost or damaged, plaque or scarring builds up on the nerves, making it more difficult […]
Individual vs. Group Disability Income Insurance
Feb 15, 2019 | Blog | ShareChicago Disability Lawyers Whether you have purchased individual or group (i.e., employer-sponsored) disability coverage can have a significant impact on your premiums, duties, and — eventually — ability to recover benefits. Many would-be insureds do not realize that there are material differences between individual and group disability insurance coverage, and simply choose a plan based on the projected cost. Though cost is a perfectly reasonable factor to consider when choosing a disability policy, it’s also important to evaluate how the unique aspects of each policy might affect its “true value” given the circumstances. Consider the following. ERISA Qualification Group disability […]
Life Insurance: Understanding Pre-Existing Conditions
Feb 8, 2019 | Blog | ShareChicago Life Insurance Attorney Life insurance claims can be significant, and as such, they are often denied. Beneficiaries may be taken by surprise, thinking that the act of securing benefits would have been straightforward. In truth, however, insurers will take advantage of any opportunity to justify the denial of a significant benefits payout, in the life insurance context and otherwise. Many life insurance claims are denied on the basis of the individual covered by the policy (the deceased individual) having failed to properly inform the insurer of a pre-existing condition that would have led to a higher premium rate or […]
