As you sort through your mail, you see a letter from your insurer. You figure it probably relates to your application for long-term disability benefits, which you submitted several months back. You were expecting this notification letter to arrive soon, but now that it has, you can’t help but feel scared. As you nervously open it, you realize that it contains bad news; your claim for long-term disability benefits has been denied.
Naturally, you feel confused and discouraged. For years, you faithfully paid your insurance premiums and assumed that if you became disabled in the future, long-term disability benefits would be available to you. You were sure that, if a future disability prevented you from working, you could rely on these benefits to help you meet your basic needs and provide for your family.
Although these feelings of confusion and sadness are understandable, you must not give up. Even though these denial letters are frequently sent to individuals applying for disability benefits, they do not mean that your case is closed or that you have no options. In fact, there are specific steps that you should take to fight the insurance company’s denial of your long term disability benefit.
The Next Steps
First, you should read the letter again and identify the reason why your application has been denied. It may be that you forgot to submit part of the documentation that your insurer requires. If this is the case, you should immediately contact your insurer and submit the outstanding documents.
Unfortunately, however, these letters are often complex and difficult to understand, so you may wish to approach a lawyer. Because navigating this legal area can be difficult, you will want to contact a law firm and lawyer that has the expertise needed to provide you with accurate advice and the resources necessary to successfully take on complex long term disability cases.
