Chicago Disability Attorneys Representing Dentists
Dentistry is a highly skilled profession that can be very hard on the body. Due to the nature of their work, dentists, orthodontists, endodontists, and other dental specialists often must work in awkward positions throughout the day, which puts them at high risk for back, neck, hand, and wrist problems.
Spending day after day performing repetitive motions on patients at uncomfortable angles can lead to serious impairments. These types of impairments are often extremely painful and can prevent a dentist from being able to continue practicing in their chosen profession.
The attorneys at Bryant Legal Group PC understand the physical demands placed upon members of the dental profession. We also recognize that the type of injuries and impairments dentists face often progress over time and can become totally disabling.
Unfortunately, when dentists and other dental specialists suffer impairments that prevent them from working, insurance companies often deny their legitimate disability claims, arguing that the impairment does not really constitute a disability.
A wrongful claim denial can be devastating from a financial and emotional standpoint. However, you can prepare for and fight back against unfair insurance company tactics with help from an experienced attorney.
If you are a dentist suffering from an injury, illness or other medical condition that is impacting your ability to perform your job, it is important to schedule a consultation with a Chicago private disability attorney as soon as possible.
While making a temporary adjustment to your work schedule may seem like an easy fix, doing so can actually complicate the situation if you need to file for long-term disability benefits down the road. Rather than trying to address the issue by changing your schedule, you are far better off discussing your condition with an experienced disability lawyer who can ensure you are taking the right steps to protect your eligibility for disability insurance benefits.
Don't fight the insurance company alone.
Trusted by Dentists and Other Medical Professionals in Chicago and Throughout the Country
The attorneys at Bryant Legal Group focus their practice on disability insurance claims, especially individual policies like those sold by UNUM, Northwestern Mutual, and Principal. We understand the nuances and complexities of dentist disability claims, and we have successfully recovered millions in unpaid benefits for disabled dentists and other medical professionals with disability claims.
When you’re fighting the insurance company for disability income benefits, you need an attorney who knows the tactics insurance carriers use to deny these claims and who will work with you to gather all the documentation needed to support your claim.
Our team at Bryant Legal Group is very familiar with how carriers define disabling conditions under their policies and will make certain that your medical issues are put into terms that meets the carrier’s definition of disability. In doing so, we will also help you secure the specialist care, diagnostic tests, and medical records needed to support your claim from a vocational standpoint.
Our Settlements and Verdicts
Our experienced team has helped professionals across Chicago and Illinois recover millions in unpaid benefits and compensation. Bryant Legal Group takes a practical approach, focusing on your needs
After our client’s disability insurance benefits were improperly terminated, we negotiated a $1.6 million settlement for him.
Our medical practice team recovered $500,000 for a physician group when an insurer failed to properly reimburse them for their services.
We collected $440,000 in unpaid disability insurance benefits for our client and got her LTD benefits reinstated by proving she was disabled from any occupation.
Am I Eligible for Disability Insurance Benefits?
Dentistry can take a toll on practitioners’ health. Dental school can be a difficult and stressful road, and once dentists enter practice, the pressures tend to rise even further. In addition to medical conditions like degenerative disc disease, osteoarthritis, and carpal tunnel syndrome, more and more dentists are suffering from mental health conditions that may lead to disability claims. According to the American Dental Association, the number of dentists diagnosed with anxiety has tripled since 2003.
Before dentists and other dental professionals can receive long-term disability benefits, they must prove that they meet the definition of disability under their insurance policy. That definition of disability can vary depending on the term of your policy:
- Own occupation: Your medical conditions make it impossible to do your most recent job (as you performed it).
- Own specialty: You cannot work within your specific specialty due to your health issues.
- Any occupation: You are totally disabled and unable to do any type of work, including relatively unskilled and simple jobs.
If you have an employer-funded disability plan, there’s a good chance it contains “any occupation” language. But if you purchased an individual or private policy, it’s likely that you selected a plan with an own occupation rider or own specialty rider. In certain cases, disability insurance policies even allow dental professionals to return to work during their benefit period and still receive partial benefits.
You should always check the terms and conditions of your policy before applying for disability benefits. And if you find your policy confusing and need help making sense of the rules and fine print, contact our office – we’re here to help.
Our attorneys are ready to spend the time necessary to work through your specific policy requirements with you and maximize access to the benefits you have paid for. We use our depth of experience and specific additional legal research to build the best claims possible and construct related arguments to persuade insurers to consider your occupation as you performed it.
We Can Help You Navigate Business Ownership Issues That Arise During a Disability Claim
In addition to practicing their profession, many dentists own their own dental practice or share joint ownership with other dentists. This means that when a dentist is dealing with a disabling condition, the dentist may not only be unable to treat patients, but he or she may also be unable to take care of the rent, payroll, and other expenses associated with running a business.
While business overhead expense (BOE) and key-person insurance policies are meant to cover these types of expenses when an owner becomes disabled, these policies set forth their own definition of disability. A policy will typically also detail specific rules as to what types of expenses will be covered in the event that a policyholder becomes disabled.
As an example, if you become disabled and decide to hire a family member to fill in and cover your duties at your dental practice, you may not be able to collect under the terms of the policy.
Business ownership can also add a complicating factor to a disability claim under an individually purchased disability policy, non-ERISA group policy (i.e., policy issued for members of the American Dental Association), ERISA group policy, or other income protection policy. The reason for these complications is that, as a business owner and dentist, you are performing “dual occupations.” This type of work may or may not be specifically addressed in your policy. If it is not addressed, case law is likely to dictate how the insurance company can consider this work.
Figuring out how ownership of a dentistry practice interacts with your inability to continue to practice and your disability benefits can be highly confusing. The private disability lawyers at our Chicago-based firm have an intricate understanding of how disability, income protection, and BOE policies work in practice. When you work with Bryant Legal Group, we will carefully review the language of your policy to make certain you are taking the right steps to receive the reimbursement you need to keep your practice up and running.
Additionally, should you determine that it is time to wind down the practice, we can refer you to other service providers who can take you through the process of selling your practice from start to finish.
RELATED: Long-Term Disability: Dentists Should Take a Proactive Approach
Looking for Help With Social Security Disability Benefits?
Please note that Bryant Legal Group does not handle standalone Social Security Administration claims. We represent professionals in disputes involving private disability insurance companies like UNUM, Hartford, The Standard, New York Life, Lincoln Financial Group, and Northwestern Mutual.
If you need assistance with a Social Security disability insurance claim, we would be happy to connect you with a firm that focuses on these administrative claims. However, if you have questions about your rights after the improper denial of your long-term disability insurance benefits or short-term disability benefits under a private insurance plan, contact our office.
Have questions about your disability insurance policy?
Struggling With a Disabling Injury or Illness? Bryant Legal Group PC Can Help
If you are a dental professional struggling with a physical injury, illness, or other medical condition, the attorneys at Bryant Legal Group PC are ready to provide you with comprehensive support and legal representation every step of the way. We have a long and successful track record of supporting dentists to maximize their disability benefits, and every attorney at our firm is committed to helping you secure the benefits you need and deserve.
Call us today at 312-313-6179 or email info@bryantlg.com to schedule your consultation with a member of our team.
The content provided is for informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice on any subject
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