The sudden and unexpected onset of a serious injury or illness can knock you out of work and leave you facing significant and costly medical expenses. The losses caused to you can be severe, too, creating undoubted uncertainty about your future. If you have long-term disability insurance, though, then you might breathe a sigh of relief knowing that you have someone who will be looking out for your financial interests as you cope with your newfound medical realities. But your insurance company may not be as friendly to your position as you think.
How to build a strong long-term disability claim
Although a long-term disability claim may provide some relief, the insurance company isn’t automatically going to pay you what you want. In fact, you might be surprised to find that the insurance company will go out of its way to look for ways to reduce the amount they have to pay you or to deny your claim altogether. Therefore, as you start your insurance claim, you should be sure to do the following to protect your interests:
- Become aware of filing deadlines and stick to them.
- Tell a compelling story of what happened to cause your disability.
- Obtain objective medical evidence to support your claim, such as medical testing results.
- Consider a functional capacity evaluation that will indicate what you can and can’t physically do on account of your medical condition.
- Ask your doctor to provide a written statement, particularly if their notes are incomplete and may be used against you in your claim.
Don’t miss out on the long-term disability benefits you deserve
While you have the ability to appeal a denied insurance claim and potentially litigate the matter in court, your best bet is to try to secure the financial relief you need at the initial stages of the claims process. That said, if you’re facing any issues securing the payout you deserve from your insurance company, then now is the time to figure out the next steps in building a persuasive and successful legal strategy.