Disability Lawyer Kingston

Servicing Kingston and all of Ontario

Canada is in the midst of a chronic pain crisis, and communities like Kingston are ground zero for some of its most tragic consequences. The City of Kingston installed 14 Naloxone kits in public areas to prevent opioid overdose-related deaths. An epidemic of opioid addiction and overdoses is one of the most visible parts of Canada’s chronic pain crisis, but it is certainly not the only issue that needs addressing.

Chronic pain, defined as pain lasting more than three to six months beyond normal healing (when not related to cancer), and conditions such as fibromyalgia affect one in five Canadian. The Canadian Pain Coalition’s report “The Painful Truth: The State of Pain Management in Canada,” notes that chronic pain sufferers face significant difficulties in their work lives. More than 30% of survey respondents said their chronic pain affected their ability to work. An average of eight days of work were missed in the past 12 months due to this pain, and 4% of respondents missed more than 49 days of work.

Disability Benefits

When chronic pain and fibromyalgia prevent you from working for significant period of time, you may qualify for short-term or long-term disability benefits from your employer’s or your own insurance policy. All, or more likely some, of your salary is usually provided by these benefits while you’re on a leave and normally other health care benefits continue. Short-term disability benefits usually last for between 15 weeks to a year, and generally require reports from your medical practitioner. After this period, long-term benefits are usually contingent on additional applications and medical evaluations from the insurance provider.

In addition to chronic pain (and fibromyalgia), other conditions and critical illnesses may permit you to draw on disability benefits. These include:

• Anxiety Disorders
• Major Depressive Disorder and Depression
• Mental Health and Mood Disorders
• Sexual Harassment and Sexual Assault

When Benefits Are Denied

Unlike some physical disabilities or illnesses which are clearly visible or easily confirmed through medical testing, some of the conditions listed above may be more difficult to conclusively prove to the satisfaction of insurers. Insurance companies may deny benefits to people suffering from a disability or critical illness if their own findings conclude:

• An applicant is not disabled
• An applicant is not sufficiently disabled to entitle them to benefits
• An applicants made misrepresentations about their medical conditions on their insurance applications

If you’re application for short-term or long-term disability benefits have been denied, do not lose hope. Howie, Sacks and Henry’s disability and critical illness lawyers can help with your appeal in Kingston.

Our team of professional, experienced and knowledgeable lawyers have the expertise to handle challenging disability benefits cases. We can advise you and assist you in obtaining medical reports and expert opinions to bolster your claim.

HSH’s disability and critical illness lawyers have earned a sterling reputation for caring, compassionate and empathetic service for our clients. We want to ensure you never feel as though you are just another case. HSH’s disability and critical illness lawyers are ready to meet with you in your own home in the Kingston area or at a nearby consultation office to listen to your story and discuss your legal options.

When your pain is preventing you from working and your disability application has been denied, trust the team at HSH to help you make a claim for the benefits you need and deserve.

News You Can Use

• “City of Kingston installs Naloxone Kits in public buildings to deal with growing opioid crisis.” Read the News Story on GlobalNews.ca
• “The Painful Truth: The State of Pain Management in Canada.” Read the Report.
• “Pain Will Always Be Apart of My Life.” Read the Article on the Queen’s University – The Journal website.

Looking to work with a disability lawyer in Kingston? Contact Us.

We service the Kingston and surrounding area, including Gananoque, Napanee, and Odessa. When you think Disability Lawyer Kingston, Think Howie, Sacks & Henry.