Servicing Brant and all of Ontario
Every year, nearly one in five Canadians (17%) will take time off from work or school to deal with a mental health issue, and people in the region of Brant are no exception. For some of these people, a day or two off every now and then using regular sick days will be enough time to get through the acute symptoms of a mental health condition that prevents them from working. But for others, more time off is needed to return to a state of good mental health and productivity.
Sadly, the lingering stigma attached to mental illness means that many employees suffer the debilitating effects of these conditions in silence. The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health reports that 39% of Ontario workers would not tell their manager if they were experiencing a mental health issue. And 40% of respondents to a 2016 survey reported experiencing symptoms of anxiety or depression without seeking treatment. This can sometimes mean a person’s mental health may deteriorate to a point where they become seriously ill and require extended time off work for treatment and recovery.
Short-Term and Long-Term Disability
Many workplaces have started to put in place mental health strategies to support employees while on the job, and some have private health benefits insurance policies (where the employer or employee pays premiums) that permit an employee to take an extended leave to recover from their condition while still drawing some or all of their usual earnings and additional benefits.
Once regular sick days are exhausted, these employees may go on short-term disability leaves for period of up to 15 weeks to a year. While on short-term disability, employees usually must get their health practitioners to provide reports about the nature of their illness, treatment and expectations about when a return to work is possible.
Near the end of the short-term leave period, if an employee does not appear able to return to work, they may apply for long-term disability benefits. Generally, an insurance provider will require an applicant to be sent for additional testing and independent assessments to confirm a diagnosis and the level of disability.
Insurers may even put applicants under surveillance to gather evidence about their daily actions and abilities. Yet people with disabling conditions, such as mood and anxiety disorders, depressive states, chronic pain (fibromyalgia) or post-traumatic stress disorder from workplace harassment or assaults, may not always outwardly display the effects of their disability.
Denial of Disability Benefits Is Not The End, We Can Help
Unfortunately, people with debilitating conditions can be unfairly denied disability benefits if the insurer concludes an applicant is:
- not disabled,
- not sufficiently disabled to qualify under the plan, or
- made statements on their application that misrepresented the nature of their condition or disability.
Losing your source of income and benefits when you are not yet able to return to work can be devastating and add additional stress to your life when you’re already not feeling your best. Howie, Sacks and Henry’s disability and critical illness lawyers are available to help you in Brant if your application for benefits has been rejected.
Our Disability Lawyers Serve The Brant Area
HSH lawyers bring compassion, attentive care, and empathy to all meetings and interactions with our clients. You should never feel as though you are just a file to your legal advocate – and that is why respect for your needs and feelings is at the core of everything we do. We are pleased to visit you in your own home in Brant or at a nearby consultation office to ensure distance and difficulty traveling is not a barrier to high quality legal representation.
Our team has cultivated a strong reputation for the knowledge, skill and determination we bring to every case. When meeting an HSH disability and critical illness lawyer, insurance claims representatives know we come prepared. Our thoroughly researched and well-supported files encourage them to make a fair and just settlement offers. And if we don’t believe their offer meet your needs, we have no fear about bringing our arguments to court.
If you’ve had the misfortune of having your disability benefits claim denied, trust the team at Howie, Sacks and Henry to help you in Brant. Together, we can seek the financial resources you need to feel safe and secure as you treat and manage your condition and look forward to better days ahead.
Looking to work with a disability lawyer in Brant? Contact Us.
We service the County of Brant and surrounding areas, including Brantford, Paris, Burford, Waterford. When you think Disability Lawyer Brant, Think Howie, Sacks & Henry.
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