Success Story: Nadira Persaud

Nadira is a 40-year-old mother of two, currently managing a beachfront restaurant in cottage country. After getting pregnant with her third child, Nadira planned to get by on both her husband’s’ salary and the maternity benefits she would be receiving through the Ontario government’s maternity program. She was set to receive these benefits for twelve months.

During the fourth month of her pregnancy, Nadira noticed a tiny freckle on her tummy for the first time ever. A month later, she noticed the freckle was growing as her stomach grew. Nadira’s mother had had skin cancer, which taught Nadira to look out for any irregular occurrence and to bring it up with her doctor. After taking a look, Nadira’s doctor assured her that she had nothing to worry about - that the growth was due to her skin stretching. The doctor even mentioned that pigment changes are a normal part of pregnancy.

After recovering from her childbirth, Nadira booked a routine physical check up with her doctor. She was concerned that her freckle had still not reduced in size, even though her stomach size had already decreased significantly. Her doctor agreed that the freckle should have reduced and conducted several tests.

Nadira’s freckle biopsy did not come back clean. She was diagnosed with skin cancer - specifically melanoma. After waiting almost twelve months since first noticing the freckle, the cancer had spread into her bowels. She would need to have surgery before undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatments.

Following her surgery, Nadira determined that she would need to take more time off, as she only had three months left in her maternity leave. Her employer told her she could take as much time as she needed to recover and would be able to assume her position again in the future.

Relieved, she gathered the necessary documents to apply for short and long-term disability benefits. To her surprise, the insurance company declined her claim, accusing her of wanting to stay home and spend time with her baby. Nadira went back to her cancer doctor and got her to write a detailed report about the surgery and other treatment that she needed. The insurance company again denied her claim. She was thinking of giving up, but in a last-ditch effort, she did some research online and stumbled on the Share Lawyers Facebook page. Nadira called for a free consultation and the intake team at Share Lawyers answered her questions and arranged a consult with one of the lawyers. It was important to get the insurance company’s decision reversed as quickly as possible so that Nadira could focus on taking care of both herself and the baby. The lawyers explained that these cases take time and that Nadira and her husband would have to manage for a while until they could help her resolve the case.

Nadira and her husband agreed that the insurance company should not be allowed to get away with denying her the benefits that she is entitled to and decided to fight. With the Share Lawyers team behind her and great doctors helping her with her treatment, Nadira felt that she was on a good path. After a big fight with the insurance company, a mediation was scheduled, and Nadira received the back benefits that the insurance company had refused to pay and benefits going into the future to give her time to recover and regain her strength. Nadira may not be able to return to managing the restaurant for quite some time, but she knows that she didn’t let the insurance company walk all over her. She stood up and fought for her rights with a great team of lawyers by her side.

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

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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.