How to Help a Loved One Whose LTD Claim has been Denied

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.

Denied your LTD claim?

Contact Share Lawyers today and put our experience to work for you. Our 35+ years of experience can help you win your case against Canada Life, Desjardins, Manulife, RBC Insurance, Sun Life, and other insurance companies. We offer a free consultation and there are no fees unless you win your case. Join us on Facebook and become a Top Fan for a chance to win each month.

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A note from our long term disability lawyers

Taking a medical leave from work is not an easy decision to make. Concerns about providing for yourself and your family and keeping your job may cause you to want to push through your pain, but this won’t make your problems go away. Stopping work is often the smartest decision for your long term health and well-being, and your disability benefits are there to provide you with support until you can return to work.

If you have made the tough decision to stop working and apply for your short term disability or long term disability benefits, you may feel overwhelmed by the process and have questions that your employer and your insurance company are not able or willing to answer. Our disability law firm and employment law firm is There to see you through and answer your questions.

A disability lawyer knows what you have been going through

We understand that things have not been easy for you over the last little while. Your health has been suffering, you are unable to work, and now your insurance company, who was supposed to be there in your time of need, has decided they will not pay your disability benefits or respect your disability claim. These benefits exist to provide you with the financial support you need so that you can focus on your health and rebuilding your life. It is unfortunate that your insurance company has not lived up to its promise. If your disability compensation has been denied, we will let you know about your legal options and fight to get you the benefits you are entitled to. Our Ontario disability lawyers have helped thousands of Canadians get their long term disability benefits over the past 35 years, and we can help you too.

Our experienced disability lawyers can fight back on your behalf

Share Lawyers believes that every client who is dealing with a disability insurance deserves superior personal service. To achieve that goal, we have developed our team of experienced, compassionate, and caring long term disability lawyers, law clerks, and administrative staff to meet all of your needs. Our team of experienced long term disability, life insurance, employment, and critical illness insurance lawyers have made successful disability claims against many insurance companies, third-party administrators, and employers.

If you are unable to work, your disability benefits should be there to provide you with the financial support you need. While your insurance company may be focused on finding ways to avoid paying your claim, our legal team is focused on what is in your best interest. When Share Lawyers gets involved, you have an entire team of lawyers that are there to support you and to fight for what is yours.

Our disability claim lawyers fight for your disability insurance claim by relying on our many years of experience to apply the best strategic planning and approach in each case, using the latest technology available. Experience matters, and with Share Lawyers, you are in the best hands with 35 years of success to your advantage.

In this video, we explain the role of a long term disability lawyer and how we can support you when you have been denied your long term disability.