Many individuals who apply for Long Term Disability (LTD) benefits are unable to work due to multiple impairments. While a single impairment may not make a person disabled enough to qualify for benefits, the combined effect of connecting multiple impairments can. Individuals who file claims for multiple impairments must be able to demonstrate how each impairment, taken in context, contributes to the totality of their disability.
Separating Impairments to Deny a Claim
However, obtaining LTD benefits for multiple impairments can be tricky. In many instances, insurance companies choose to ignore, dismiss, or intentionally isolate multiple medical conditions while reviewing a claim.
Separating multiple impairments is one of the most routine tactics the insurance companies use to deny benefits. An insurer will “separate” your claim into different impairments, each to be reviewed by a different medical specialist working in isolation. The specialists then make their recommendations based on the fragment of the medical evidence they’ve been given by the insurance company. The insurance company’s decision will rely on these separate individual opinions, rather than considering the total picture. Insurance companies justify these actions by claiming that each condition requires a more qualified review.
Appealing a Denial of LTD Benefits for Multiple Impairments
If an insurer has denied your claim for LTD benefits for multiple impairments because they failed to consider how each impairment contributes to your inability to work, you have a right to appeal their decision.
The law offices of M. Stanley Whitehead have helped disabled individuals all over the U.S. obtain the LTD benefits they deserve, even after their initial claim had been denied. We are here to guide you through the appeals process, whether your LTD benefits insurance policy is regulated under ERISA disability laws (for group disability insurance plans), or you are appealing a private LTD insurance claim. We have extensive experience in this area. M. Stanley Whitehead is Board Certified in Social Security Disability Law by the National Board of Social Security Disability Advocacy, an Accredited Veterans Claim Attorney as required to practice law before the VA, and Board Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Personal Injury Trial Law.
We know how to focus your appeal on the specific causes that prevent you from being able to work, while showing how each of your impairments contributes to your overall medical condition. Our team will work closely with your doctors to develop an effective appeal case, using detailed records of relevant multiple impairments, your treatment, symptoms and functional limitations as a whole, as well as any additional assessments to support your claim.
We’ll also be able to determine if the insurance company inappropriately handled your claim and takes steps to ensure they consider the total effects of your impairments when determining your ability to work.
Contact Houston Disability Benefits Lawyer M. Stanley Whitehead
Don’t delay in reaching out to us. In many cases you only have a limited time in which to appeal the insurance company’s decision. Contact the law offices of M. Stanley Whitehead to schedule a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss your claim. We’ll review your policy, examine the insurance company’s rationale for denial, and discuss your options for moving forward with your LTD benefits appeal. We are based in Houston, TX, but serve clients all over the United States.
