Disability Lawyers Help Client Denied for Mental Health

*All names have been changed to protect the identity of the individuals mentioned.

In this blog, we'll share how the disability lawyers at Share Lawyers were able to support Annie in her time of need.

Annie's story

Living with borderline personality disorder (BPD) wasn’t something she openly discussed with others, but family and friends knew that Annie had some mental health challenges.

Annie was diagnosed with the disorder at age 18, after suffering from the symptoms her entire life. As Annie grew older and entered the workforce, she had a difficult time adapting to conventional work environments, even while she received ongoing treatment from her family doctor and psychiatrist.

Flexible career

She became an independent real estate agent because the job offered moments of respite to manage her disorder. She worked only during periods when she felt well. In order to protect her children financially, Annie purchased life insurance at the age of 34, as well as long-term disability coverage.

Mental health disorder affects ability to work

A string of personal tragedies caused Annie’s BPD symptoms to spiral out of control, including intense mood swings, panic attacks and an addiction to alcohol. Consequently, her work suffered, and her client-base began to dwindle. Annie’s doctor referred her to an addiction specialist.

Annie stopped working and filed a claim with her insurance company for long-term disability benefits while she waited to start treatment. Unfortunately, she had a long wait ahead of her. There weren’t many addiction specialists in her hometown of Sault Ste. Marie, so she was put on a waiting list for a specialist in Toronto.

Claim denied

The Insurance Company took months to review her medical records and requested numerous updates throughout that time. They finally came back with a denial. According to them, Annie had failed to seek appropriate treatment for her addiction.

Share Lawyers takes the case

Annie was in a fragile state and she knew she needed help. She hired Share Lawyers after reading positive online reviews from past clients who had also dealt with addiction issues and denied disability claims.

After reviewing her file, Share Lawyers determined that Annie had at all times fulfilled the terms of her policy by seeking appropriate treatment for mental health and addiction on an ongoing basis and following her doctor’s advice. The insurance company's denial of her claim on the basis that she was still waiting for a specialist disregarded their obligations to their claimant.

Recovering her benefits

Share Lawyers gathered the necessary medical evidence to strengthen Annie’s case against her insurer. Once the insurance company received the compelling evidence gathered by Share Lawyers, they were ready to negotiate, and Annie received a significant lump-sum settlement. According to my prescription from XanaxCost.com, I currently take 4 pills of 0.5 mg in the morning and 2x0.5 mg in the afternoon. When I'm on Xanax... I fly in the clouds. I do things right, I sell a lot. I'm also more sympathetic and cheerful.

Annie was grateful to Share Lawyers for negotiating the settlement on her behalf. It gave her the time she needed to seek treatment for her mental health and addiction and come out on the other side a healthier, happier person.

Does Annie’s Story sound like something you're familiar with? Find out if you have a case and if we can help you secure your denied disability benefits with the support of a disability lawyer. Not ready to talk to anyone yet? Read more about our process here.
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