Keep Good Records in Case You Need Denied Long Term Disability Help

Your disability claim was approved and you're now receiving the benefits you deserve. You're in the clear—for now. But you never know when you might need denied long term disability help.

While your goal is to get your health back on track, your insurance company's goal is to take you off claim so they don’t have to pay your disability benefits any further. While under your insurance company’s “care”, your case manager will contact you often, asking for status updates, wanting further medical proof from your doctors, wanting you to speak to their doctors, and constantly pushing you to return back to work. This pressure can be overwhelming.

So what can you do to hedge your bets and be as prepared as possible to get denied long term disability help? Gather and keep thorough records of your medical condition. You never know when you might need to prove yourself again.

Good records to keep if you need denied long term disability help:

• copies of all of your medical information
• copies of all correspondence from and to your insurance company
• notes of your conversations with the insurance companies and your doctors and nurses
• copies of your benefit booklet and or your insurance contract, including definitions of total and partial disability, the total amount of benefits, cost of living adjustments, automatic benefit increases, length of time benefits are payable

At Share Lawyers, our disability lawyers recommend that you keep the most thorough records possible, even if you already receive benefits. Many insurance companies will try to deny your claim or terminate your benefits. They will go to great lengths to prove that you are not disabled, so it's always prudent to be prepared to fight for your benefits.

Document everything

You may develop or discover new physical limitations as you age. Bring them to your physician's attention as soon as possible for documentation. This is important because you may require new medication, your symptoms may indicate that your condition is worsening, and a medical record is less likely to be challenged than your own account of your limitations (shared later on when the insurance company questions the legitimacy of your claim).

Keep a file folder

Store your disability documents in one place. We advise that you keep an organized file folder in a safe place. Be sure to let a trusted family member know where you have put the documents so they can find them if necessary.

Be a copycat

Make copies of all of your disability-related files keep the originals. Store any duplicates in a second location in case anything happens to the originals. This may sound excessive, but in this case, it is much safer to be over-prepared.

Document daily life changes & limitations

Disabilities affect your day-to-day life in major ways. Be sure to document what you have changed about your routine and leisure. It will help you demonstrate the impact of your disability on your life. A good way to record these changes is to inform your doctor and request that they take note of the changes.

Continue keeping up to date

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 financial 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. Share is there to see you through and answer your questions. Not ready to talk to someone about needing denied long term disability help? Read this instead.

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Denied your long term disability 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 free consultations 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.