Unfairly Denied Benefits When Waiting for Treatment

When Marsha first came to the offices of Share Lawyers, she was at one of the lowest points in her life. She had been dealing with a mysterious illness that prevented her from working or functioning in her day-to-day life. Her physician, employer, and insurance company met her described symptoms with skepticism and disbelief. She never imagined she would have to fight for the benefits she deserved.

Marsha's Story

Three years prior, Marsha came down with a terrible flu and was totally knocked off her feet. The sickness lasted for a few weeks, which she took off work, and once she started feeling a bit better she returned to work.

But she never really fully recovered. She felt foggy and tired throughout the day and found it hard to sleep at night. At 49, she thought maybe these were changes related to menopause and went to her doctor who did blood work that all came back normal. He told her to “take it easy” and that she would be feeling better soon.

Oven the next months Marsha did not feel better. In addition to feeling tired all the time, she began to experience muscle pain and headaches. She found it hard to concentrate and had to take constant breaks. Her employer told her that she needed to improve her job performance and her colleagues were increasingly rude to her - thinking that she was simply slacking off.

She Was Referred To A New Doctor

After discussing her symptoms with a friend she was referred to a new doctor. This doctor suggested a sleep clinic, and the sleep clinic referred her to a massage therapist, who referred her to an acupuncturist - but nothing helped.

It had been two years and Marsha was still feeling constantly tired and in pain. She decided to apply for short term benefits as her job performance was really suffering. After visiting multiple clinics and specialists - one of whom told her that this issue was just “all in her head” - she was finally diagnosed with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. (This condition is also known as systemic exertion intolerance disease (SEID) or myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME). Sometimes it's abbreviated as ME/CFS).

The only CFS specialists in the Greater Toronto Area had an 8-month waiting list and her short term benefits had run out. She felt confident that with this new diagnosis she would qualify for long term disability benefits (LTD), but she was denied on the basis that she was able to work. But Marsha knew that returning to work was not an option.

Marsha Joined A Support Group

She had joined an online support group for CFS and after sharing her experience, someone mentioned Share Lawyers.

She called the next day and our staff was able to assure her that she did not have to go back to work or submit to the insurance company’s demands. With special considerations around her health, we arranged a free telephone consultation where we took on her case.

Share Lawyer Worked To Fight For Her LTD Benefits

Marsha was totally hopeless when we first met with her, but once she realized there was a whole team behind her, it gave her peace of mind. Share Lawyers worked diligently to fight for her LTD benefits and was able to reach a settlement with the insurance company by proving Marsha was indeed unable to work.

It’s still a long journey for Marsha to find wellness, but we are so glad to know she did not give up and are proud to have been able to help her receive her LTD benefits.

Has your long-term disability claim been denied? Contact Share Lawyers and put our experience to work for you. We offer free consultations and there are no fees unless we win your case. Find out if you have a disability case.

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