When someone you love is unwell and their disability benefits have been denied, it's normal to feel a mixture of emotions: concern, compassion, disbelief, anger, anxiety, guilt, and grief are all understandable given the circumstances. It's hard to watch someone you love face challenges, especially when those challenges affect their health and well-being, and can cause some serious financial strain. The great news is there are things you can do to help a loved one, including connecting them with an experienced long term disability lawyer.

Things you can do to help a loved one with a disability claim

Loved ones can play a big part in helping a person recover, work towards their goals, and stay well. Care and emotional support go a long way in recovery and well-being. Practical help, like managing doctor's appointments and other daily tasks can make a big difference as well. You can also play a part in helping a loved one maintain their well-being. You and other close supporters may be the first to notice changes in a loved one's mood, behaviour, self-care, or any other area that shows their physical or emotional health may be worsening. This means you can help your loved one find the right help early. You can also remind them to see hope at a time when they feel it the least.

Stay positive through the disability claim process to help a loved one

Most importantly, stay positive! If your love one filed a disability claim and it has been denied, you are probably unsure of what to do next. Keep in mind that simply because their claim has been denied, this does not mean it is invalid. In fact, disability denials happen quite frequently. While private insurance companies are tight-lipped about their claim-denial rates, recent data offers an insight into the prevalence of the phenomenon. For example, most initial applications are denied - up to 60%.

Denial of your loved one's disability insurance should not be seen as the end of the road. Your loved one may feel disheartened, but should by no means abandon hope. It's encouraging to know that workers with many different injuries or illnesses, from all walks of life, have had disability claims denied. As soon as your loved one decides to apply for benefits, encourage them to consult a qualified, long-term disability lawyer to help them with their case!

Cindy’s story with disability claim benefits

Cindy had Type 1 diabetes since she was a child, but her illness has always been well under control. When Cindy turned 40, she was hired for a new position and did not inform her employers about her illness as it had never been a problem for her in the workplace. Soon after starting her new job, however, Cindy was diagnosed with a severe depressive disorder.

A loved one stepped in to assist

Cindy’s husband knew he needed to step in and help, as Cindy wasn’t able to advocate for herself while managing her symptoms. First off, he made sure that his wife was getting the treatment she needed, which included seeing a psychotherapist and taking antidepressant medication prescribed by her family doctor.

Then he got to work crunching the numbers. He soon realized that Cindy wouldn’t simply be able to quit her job and take time away from work in order to heal. They needed a second income coming in. So he did some research.

John found out that Cindy had good group coverage in her new workplace, so they tried to file for LTD benefits. Her claim was denied by the insurer, who argued that Cindy’s new diagnosis was connected to her long-standing diabetes diagnosis through medical evidence. The insurers claimed both conditions were pre-existing, making Cindy ineligible to receive benefits for her depression. Cindy and John knew that this wasn’t true - she has had Diabetes for years without any depression, and her Diabetes was under control.

John reached out to Cindy’s employers for support, but was dismayed when they also refused to assist. They blamed Cindy for the uncomfortable position she had put their company in and asked her to step down “for the sake of the company”. John was lost and didn’t know where to turn for help.

One day John was browsing a Diabetes community group on Facebook. He noticed that a group member had posted something about Share Lawyers. John was unfamiliar with Share Lawyers but decided to reach out to discuss Cindy's insurance policy after reading the positive Facebook post from a former client.

Once he discussed Cindy’s situation, Share Lawyers took on Cindy’s case. They explained what John and Cindy needed to know about disability law and and the disability process and built a strong case against her insurer showing that her diabetes had nothing to do with her depression. Cindy’s claim was settled at mediation. She received a lump sum for her past benefits that had not been paid and then continued to receive ongoing benefits into the future.

Thanks to the disability law lawyers at Share Lawyers, Cindy was able to get her benefits approved, with the amazing help and support of her husband. The compensation she now receives allow her to continue to help pay the household bills and focus on her health.

Know someone struggling with LTD compensation?

There is a lot you can do to help, which all depends on the level of support your loved one needs. A great first step is to read more on our Denied Disability page. Our long term disability lawyers offers a free consultation and you can contact our law firm regarding disability claims anytime at 1-888-777-1109.

*All names and identifying details have been changed to protect the confidentiality of all involved.

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