Proving Long Covid & LTD Claims: New Study May Assist in Providing Evidence to Support Long COVID as a Disabling Condition
Make no mistake about it. There are and will be a significant number of disability insurance claims arising from people claiming to suffer from long COVID. The defense of these claims will centre on a number of things, including LTD denials based on insufficient medical evidence to substantiate disability as well as argument regarding failure to mitigate for those sufferers who did not get vaccinated.
In the coming battles, the science continues to evolve as the science and medical communities continue to study all aspects of COVID 19.
A recent study by a team of researchers who followed more than 200 patients for 2-3 months after they were diagnosed with COVID has identified some underlying biological factors that may explain or predict why some people are more prone to suffer with long COVID (“post-acute sequelae of COVID 19, or PASC” is the medical name for long COVID)
The study was published by the journal Cell.
Four factors were identified early in a person’s COVID infection that suggest an increased risk of having lasting symptoms:
- Level of COVID RNA in the blood early in the infection, which indicates viral load.
- Presence of autoantibodies. Autoantibodies are antibodies that attack tissues in the body, similar to lupus and rheumatoid arthritis.
- Reactivation of Epstein-Barr virus.
- Having Type 2 diabetes.
What may be lacking in the current Canadian public health environment is the ability to properly measure these factors. Also, in Canada, many COVID infections aren’t being captured by the system during the Omicron wave as testing has been curtailed due to lack of sufficient testing capacity given the explosion in the number of cases.
There are about 20 symptoms that have been identified with long COVID, including fatigue, brain fog and shortness of breath. Thirty-seven percent of the patients in the study had three or more symptoms of long COVID 2-3 months after infection. Twenty-four percent at 1 or 2 symptoms and 39% had no symptoms. Those having 3 or more symptoms had one of the four biological factors identified above.
Studies like these may offer pathways to effective treatment but as so much is still unknown, the world will be dealing with long COVID and other impacts of the pandemic for years to come. There is hope that where these biological factors can be identified more treatment options can be developed to try and curtail patients from developing long COVID.
While proof in an individual case may continue to be difficult to establish, studies like this one provide further evidence long COVID is a real issue for many that may suffer with long lasting symptoms that can interfere with their ability to work and also perform their usual activities of daily living.
or further details on the study, see the link to study above as well as the article written by Pam Belluck of the New York Times on January 25, 2022.
If you have had your claim for long term disability denied, contact the long term disability insurance lawyers at Share Lawyers. Our experienced team of long term disability (LTD) lawyers can help. We have recently settled cases against Canada Life, Desjardins, Manulife, RBC Insurance, Sun Life, and many more. 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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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 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.
Our Disability law firm 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 claim has been denied, we will fight to get you the benefits you are entitled to. Our 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 claim 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 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 focus is 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 on your side.
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 benefits.
