Why Vocational Experts Can Make a Difference in LTD Claims
Dec 17, 2019 | Blog | ShareDuring a long-term disability (LTD) claim, your medical records and history get a lot of attention. Your lawyer and the insurance company will pore over every diagnosis, test, and recommendation in your files. However, there’s more to an LTD claim than medical evidence. Your vocational experience and skills can also dramatically impact your eligibility for LTD benefits. That’s why our experienced disability insurance lawyers frequently work with vocational experts. Why Does the LTD Insurance Company Care About My Work and Education? Disability insurance pays benefits when your medical conditions, illnesses, and injuries prevent you from working. There are two primary […]
What Is Health Insurance Bad Faith?
Dec 12, 2019 | Blog | ShareInsurance companies and their insureds do not interact on a level playing field. The balance of power favors big business. However, when these companies unreasonably deny healthcare claims, they can put you in a precarious and vulnerable position. That’s why insurers owe their policyholders a duty of good faith and fair dealing. At Bryant Legal Group, we help people when their health insurers deny legitimate claims, improperly delay benefits, or otherwise act in bad faith. In this article, we outline everything you need to know about health insurance bad faith claims. When Does a Health Insurer Act in Bad Faith? […]
HIV, AIDS, and Disability Insurance: A Claimant’s Guide
Dec 10, 2019 | Blog | ShareIf you’re one of the estimated 1.1 million people living with HIV and AIDS in the United States, you know that medical advances have significantly improved your treatment options and quality of life. However, even “manageable” HIV can seriously limit your ability to work and do the things you love. At Bryant Legal Group, we help people living with AIDS and HIV apply for disability insurance benefits. In this article, we discuss the essentials of HIV-related claims and suggest some simple ways you can strengthen your application for benefits. What Is the Difference Between HIV and AIDS? Human immunodeficiency virus […]
How Will the Court Review My Long-Term Disability Case?
Dec 5, 2019 | Blog | ShareUnlike some states, Illinois law requires that federal courts apply a de novo standard of review in long-term disability (LTD) claims if the coverage was issued or offered in Illinois. Judges can weigh all the evidence in your claim and do not have to defer to the insurance company’s past decisions. However, that doesn’t mean that your appeal will be easy. If an insurance company has denied your long-term disability (LTD) benefits in Illinois, you need to understand how the courts will assess your legal and factual arguments. To learn the essentials, keep reading this article. To find out how […]
Common Reasons for Denial of Short-Term Disability Benefits
Dec 3, 2019 | Blog | ShareIf you’ve filed a short-term disability claim, you might feel like the insurance company is giving you the runaround or mishandling your claim — and there’s a good chance you’re right. Insurers are fundamentally incentivized to deny, delay, and otherwise mishandle short-term disability claims so that they don’t have to pay out the benefits you deserve. At Bryant Legal Group, we help people throughout Chicago and Illinois with their short-term disability claims. With decades of collective experience, we’ve seen almost every tactic and strategy that insurance companies use against claimants like you. In this article, we will discuss some of […]
Watch Out for These 4 Tactics in Your Prudential Disability Insurance Claim
Nov 26, 2019 | Blog | SharePreparing your disability insurance claim with Prudential Insurance Company of America (Prudential) can be complicated, nerve-wracking, and essential to your future. Unfortunately, this process can go very wrong through no fault of your own. That’s because insurance companies like Prudential often use underhanded tactics to delay or deny valid claims. In this blog, we outline four common Prudential tactics to look out for. Prudential Insurance Has a History of Denying Valid Claims Prudential is one of the world’s largest insurance and financial services companies. In 2018 alone, the company earned more than $58 billion in revenue. The company often boasts […]
“Self-Reported” Symptoms: How to Fight Back With Medical Evidence
Nov 19, 2019 | Blog | ShareIf you’re living with a disabling condition, you probably have a long list of symptoms that don’t show up on an x-ray or MRI. These might include fatigue, nausea, chronic pain, depression, and anxiety. While these conditions are very real, disability insurance companies are often skeptical of subjective or self-reported symptoms. In this blog, Bryant Legal Group explores these hard-to-understand symptoms and how insurers try to use them to deny or reduce the value of long-term disability (LTD) claims. What Are Self-Reported Conditions? Self-reported conditions involve symptoms that cannot be objectively confirmed by a diagnostic test — such as a […]
Nerve Damage and Disability Insurance: A Claimant’s Guide
Nov 12, 2019 | Blog | ShareWhile only an inconvenience for some, neuropathy can be debilitating for others. Unfortunately, peripheral nerve disorders — such as Guillain-Barre syndrome, carpal tunnel syndrome, and diabetic neuropathy — are sometimes difficult to diagnose and understand. In this blog, Bryant Legal Group discusses the diverse causes of peripheral nerve damage, common treatment options, and suggestions for your long-term disability (LTD) claim. What Are Peripheral Nerves? Your nervous system is made up of two essential parts. First, your central nervous system, which includes your brain and spinal cord, processes and responds to information. Second, your peripheral nervous system, uses nerves that run […]
Pre-Existing Conditions and LTD: 4 Things You Need to Know
Nov 5, 2019 | Blog | ShareYou’ve filed your application for long-term disability (LTD) benefits, meticulously filling out all the necessary information and submitting all of your relevant medical records. When you get the insurance company’s response, you’re shocked to see a denial of benefits. Unfortunately, the insurance company determined that your disabling conditions were pre-existing. At Bryant Legal Group, we’re used to insurance companies broadly interpreting our clients’ medical records and incorrectly applying pre-existing condition exclusions. Learn how you can fight back to get the LTD benefits that you deserve. 1. Pre-Existing Conditions Can Be Either Mental or Physical As a cost-savings mechanism, most long-term […]
Knee Replacement and Disability Insurance: A Claimant’s Guide
Oct 22, 2019 | Blog | ShareMost of us will experience knee pain during our lifetimes. This pain can stop us from doing the things we love, and it can even rule out simple activities like taking a walk or sitting down comfortably to read a book. When knee pain gets this severe, a knee replacement may offer much-needed relief. However, not everyone who undergoes a total knee replacement can return to work and enjoy their life as they knew it. In these cases, long-term and short-term disability insurance can help. To learn more about knee replacement and disability claims, keep reading. What Is a Knee […]
