Success Story: Samuel Rosenberg

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

When severe back pain halted Samuel Rosenberg's 16-year nursing career in Regina, it left him with no other recourse than to apply for long-term disability benefits through his insurance plan. When his insurance company responded to his claim with a resounding "no," he contacted Share Lawyers for help.

Painful physical limitations

Samuel had ankylosing spondylitis, which caused inflammation, pain and stiffness in his lower back and prevented him from performing the physically demanding duties of his job. He could no longer lift and transfer patients or stand on his feet for those long 12-hour shifts that were so easy to do when he was in his thirties.

Now, at 49, Samuel had to listen to the signals his body was giving him and to what his rheumatologist had strongly recommended – he had to stop working.

Insurer challenges claim

Samuel first applied for, and received, short-term disability through his group benefit plan. His long-term claim, however, was not processed as quickly. The insurer's endless requests for more medical information continued to delay Samuel's claim.

Months went by without a decision. Samuel was forced to borrow from family to make ends meet.

Finally, after seven months complying with the insurance company's requests, they came back to Samuel with a final decision— he did not meet their definition of total disability and would not receive benefits.

Deciding to sue

Samuel had a sick feeling that the insurance company was playing games with him, but this was his life and he wasn't going to take "no" for an answer. He had heard about Share Lawyers through a doctor at his hospital, and knew they had helped countless patients win back their denied insurance claims, so he decided to call.

Although the idea of a lawsuit intimidated him, the lawyer he met with for his free consultation, Janice Grevler, put his worries at ease. She explained that while the firm would make sure to provide regular updates on the progress of his case, they would be on the front-line dealing with the insurance company. All he had to do was take care of his health and trust the team of professionals that would be on his side.

Mediation leads to a fair settlement

About one year later, the case went to mediation. While the insurance company's lawyers were ruthless about playing down his disability with biased medical opinions from their own doctors; his lawyer, Vice President of Share Lawyers, Steven Muller, was armed with even stronger medical evidence clearly showing how Samuel's condition had degenerated progressively since his initial diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis.

After a long eight-hour meeting and aggressive negotiations, a settlement was reached. Samuel was pleased with the lump-sum settlement amount and walked out feeling vindicated. Finally, justice had been served and he could move on with his life.

Moving on

While Samuel wasn't naive enough to think he would get an apology from the insurance company, he was relieved to get much-needed closure thanks to Share Lawyers' help. The settlement amount gave Samuel a bit of breathing room to catch up with his bills, pay off his debts and save a substantial nest egg.

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.