Success Story: Leona Campbell
As a mother of two teenagers and a receptionist for a large dental office in Vancouver, Leona was no stranger to stress. At 46 years old she felt like she finally had a handle on life’s stress, despite it never slowing down. No matter what, she could handle anything that was thrown her way. That was until the headaches started.
Initially, she didn’t think anything of it. They weren’t severe and they were infrequent enough that they didn’t worry her. But while she was coping with them, her company made some major structural changes that put more responsibility on her shoulders. She could handle it, she thought. She always did.
Then the headaches started to get worse. They were more frequent and harder to shake, and in the midst of it all, she started to suffer blurred vision and substantial anxiety. Eventually, it got so bad that she had a hard time seeing the screen of her computer at work. She made an appointment with her doctor who made quick work of her diagnosis - she had hypertension and was at risk of a heart attack. It seemed her sedentary lifestyle was a contributing factor on top of a less than ideal diet and the high levels of stress in her daily life.
As with any other challenge, Leona knew she could handle this head-on; it was time to make some changes and get her health back on track. The problem was that while her blurred vision made work difficult, the headaches made it impossible and the anxiety made it unbearable. She needed to take time off work in order to improve her health but she couldn’t afford the loss of income. She went off on Short-term disability which was paid by her employer, and then applied for her Long-term disability benefits. Her insurance company felt she should be able to continue working even though her employer and her doctors all felt that she could not perform her job.
After appealing twice, Leona was referred to Share Lawyers by her doctor’s office. We were able to help her cut through all the legal jargon to determine how we could assist her with her claim. The main problem was that Leona had not seen any specialists, most of her appointments were booked several months into the future. We requested records from her doctors and obtained supportive medical evidence to get her the benefits. Leona learned she would require surgery to repair a heart valve problem that the specialist had diagnosed. Share Lawyers was successful in getting Leona the benefits going back to when she was denied and into the future.
After almost four years off work, Leona was able to work with her doctor on her diet and changes to her medication and to work with a therapist to develop tools to manage her stress levels. She was thankful to Share Lawyers and she was ready to return to work on a gradual transition.
Hypertension affects 1 in 4 Canadians and is considered one of the leading global risk factors of death. It’s earned its name as the silent killer because it’s entirely possible to not present any symptoms which can increase the risk of a heart attack. Most often, people simply don’t know what to look for, so it goes undiagnosed. To be safe, have your blood pressure checked regularly. If you or someone you know is experiencing any of the symptoms of hypertension, see your physician immediately.
*All names and identifying details have been changed to protect the confidentiality of all involved.
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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.
