Bancroft Long Term Disability Lawyers

No one expects to develop a severe, prolonged medical condition. No one can truly plan for the unexpected. Receiving a diagnosis for severe injuries or chronic physical or mental illnesses is always a shock for which no one is prepared. However, with the right level of insurance coverage, certain people may be in more secure positions to live with their newly acquired disability.

Some businesses provide their employees with a group insurance plan that allows them to access long-term disability (LTD) benefits. Those who are unable to access insurance through work may choose to purchase their own private insurance policy to prepare for the worst-case scenario. These policies are meant to provide a portion of your income if you meet the policy’s definition of disability and can no longer perform the essential duties of your occupation, or sometimes any occupation for which you are reasonably suited.

Unfortunately, insurance companies do not always approve LTD claims, even when claimants feel their medical conditions clearly prevent them from working. If your LTD claim has been denied or your benefits have been terminated, our Bancroft long-term disability lawyers may be able to help you understand your rights, review your policy, and challenge the insurer’s decision.

To learn more about your legal rights in Bancroft today, call our personal injury lawyers serving Bancroft at 1-888-608-2111 or contact us online now. We’re available 24/7 across Ontario.

How Do Long-Term Disability Claims Work in Bancroft, Ontario?

People in and around Bancroft often work in a mix of occupations, including healthcare, retail, tourism and hospitality, construction, transportation, forestry, mining, and other trades and services. Commuting to jobs in nearby towns or working in physically demanding roles is common.

When a serious physical or mental health condition makes it impossible to keep working in these roles, LTD benefits can be a crucial lifeline. Conditions that may qualify for a long-term disability claim include:

• Musculoskeletal injuries
• Chronic pain
• Neurological disorders
• Cardiac conditions
• Autoimmune diseases
• Mental health conditions, such as depression, anxiety, or post-traumatic stress disorder
• And more

In order to apply for LTD benefits, qualified applicants are often required to submit supplementary medical evidence along with their applications. The accompanying evidence may be useful in proving that the severity of a claimant’s symptoms makes it impossible for them to perform the work expected of them in their current positions. The evidence should substantiate an applicant’s claim that they cannot carry out the duties of their job because of the severity of their medical condition.

Examples of evidence that might prove useful when submitting an application for LTD benefits include:

• Medical records
• Results of medical examinations
• Statements from your attending physicians
• A detailed description of your job duties
• A statement from your plan sponsor (i.e. your employer)
• Other documentation proving that your medical condition prevents you from performing the duties of your job

Accessing specialists and diagnostic testing can sometimes require travel from Bancroft to larger centres. That can complicate treatment and documentation. Our long-term disability lawyers serving Bancroft understand these realities and may be able to help you gather the medical and occupational information your insurer requires.

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Since 1959, we’ve helped thousands of Canadians get the compensation they deserve with their long-term disability claims. One of Canada’s oldest personal injury law firms, personal injury law is exclusively what we do. Book a free consultation today with our top-rated personal injury lawyers.

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Why LTD Claims Get Denied in Ontario

Unfortunately, even after submitting thorough evidence proving the severity of your medical condition and its impact on your ability to perform the duties of your job, your insurance provider may decide to deny your claim. In fact, insurance companies can deny disability claims for a number of reasons, all of which can be frustrating to try and comprehend.

It can be difficult to ascertain exactly what percentage of LTD claims are routinely denied across the country. However, by examining the number of disability claims denied each year by the Canada Pension Plan (CPP), it can be determined that more than half of all LTD claims are initially denied by insurance companies.

Common reasons that insurers give for denying or terminating LTD claims include allegations that medical evidence does not support a disability under the policy definition, or conclusions that the claimant can still perform their own occupation or another suitable job. Insurers may also assert that the condition is primarily related to a pre-existing issue that is excluded under the policy, or that the claimant has not properly followed treatment or rehabilitation recommendations.

In addition, insurance companies often reference changes in the definition of disability after a set period as a reason for termination. Often, when a policy shifts from an “own occupation” to an “any occupation” definition, claimants can be cut off from their benefits.

In some cases, benefits are approved initially but then discontinued after a few months or years. This can be particularly stressful for people in smaller communities like Bancroft who may have limited local employment alternatives.

Our Bancroft long-term disability lawyers can review your policy, denial letter, medical records, and work history to help you understand why your benefits were denied or cut off and what steps might be available to contest that decision.

How Our Bancroft Long-Term Disability Lawyers May Be Able To Help

If you are unable to work because of a severe, disabling medical condition and the LTD benefits payments you are rightfully owed have been withheld from you by your insurance provider, our long-term disability lawyers serving Bancroft may be able to help.

Our LTD lawyers serving Bancroft may be able to assist by reviewing your disability policy and explaining key definitions such as “total disability,” “own occupation,” and “any occupation,” gathering additional medical evidence from your family doctor, specialists, and rehabilitation providers, obtaining functional capacity or vocational assessments where appropriate, and advising whether to pursue internal appeals or commence a lawsuit against the insurer.

In a lawsuit, it may be possible to seek:

• Payment of past benefits
• Clarification of your right to future benefits
• Interest
• Legal costs
• Additional damages where an insurer’s conduct has been particularly unfair or in bad faith.
• And possibly more

Past Canadian court decisions have confirmed that disability insurers owe a duty of good faith to insured people when handling claims.

If your disability arises from a serious accident in the Bancroft region, you may also have separate claims against negligent parties or access to accident benefits under the Statutory Accident Benefits Schedule. In such cases, our Bancroft car accident lawyers or Bancroft slip and fall lawyers may become involved alongside our LTD team.

Call Our Bancroft Long-Term Disability Lawyers For A Free Initial Consultation

Our long-term disability lawyers appreciate just how frightening and upsetting it can be to receive a denial for LTD benefits after receiving a diagnosis for a severe medical condition. At Preszler Injury Lawyers, we do our best to remove financial barriers to accessing our important legal services. You should not be forced to endure injustice because you feel you cannot afford to take action.

That is why our Bancroft long-term disability lawyers offer all prospective clients a free initial consultation. There is no fee to take advantage of this personalized first meeting with our legal team. On top of that, Preszler Injury Lawyers work on a contingency-fee basis. That means you do not pay us a cent unless we win your case.

To learn more about how our Bancroft LTD lawyers may be able to assist you, contact us today online or call 1-888-608-2111.

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LONG-TERM DISABILITY BENEFITS DENIED OR CUT-OFF IN BANCROFT?