Success Story: Ashley Strong

*Names have been fictionalized to protect the privacy of our clients.

Forty-three year old Ashley Strong was on top of the world. She had found her dream job in publishing, had an apartment in the city and an active lifestyle, Ashley was looking forward to the holiday season and a bright future. On top of the long hours at work, Ashley also ran in long-distance marathons in Kelowna. It was during one such marathon that Ashley noticed she was getting dizzy, and incredibly tired. This had happened to her before in races, but this episode seemed more severe.

Symptoms continue

Several days later, Ashley woke up to more dizziness and fatigue. This was unusual, as she usually got over the dizziness in a few days. It was partway through the day when she realized she was having trouble seeing, and her arms felt like she had pins and needles all the way down. She booked an appointment with her doctor, and they did some tests. She was then sent to a neurologist for more testing. Several months went by and when the test results came back, Ashley sat stunned as the doctor relayed to her that they suspected that she might be suffering with Multiple Sclerosis, or MS. She had heard of it, but , she was in a state of disbelief. The lingering symptoms she had been experiencing were severe enough to prevent her from being able to do her job in an effective manner and so, reluctantly, she decided she had no choice but stop working and apply for her disability benefits. The short-term disability benefits were approved. She developed some additional symptoms including problems with coordination, tremors, issues with concentration, and depression. Ashley then wanted to apply for long-term disability benefits. Her specialists were still not 100% sure of the diagnosis, but all signs were pointing to MS.

Long term disability denied!

Ashley’s long-term disability claim was denied even though she was experiencing some symptoms. Firstly, the insurance company’s review of the medical information claimed that a definitive diagnosis of MS was not established, and secondly, the symptoms were not so severe to prevent Ashley from being able to do the essential duties of her job.

How Share Lawyers helped

Ashley felt defeated and alone, convinced that she had no other options. Her mother suggested Share Lawyers to her, adding that there are no fees unless her case was settled, and encouraged Ashley to go to a consultation. The Share Lawyers team immediately got to work on Ashley’s case, putting pressure on the insurance company to approve the claim. A settlement was reached, allowing Ashley to focus on healing and helping others diagnosed with MS. Ashley is now determined not to let her diagnosis stop her from being active and independent. She knows that this holiday season will be better than expected, with many thanks to Share Lawyers.

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.