Short & Long Term Disability Cases We’ve Won for Our Clients Against MetLife

A painter from Utah had developed sever spinal degeneration over his long career. Just a decade from retirement, his chronic pain and immobility reached a point where he was unable to continue working. He applied for Long Term Disability benefits but was denied by the insurer. Metlife claimed that his medical records did not support a severity of symptoms that would preclude him from returning to work as a painter.

Knowing he needed help, he retained Fields Law to appeal the denial. The Fields Law team began gathering updated medical records from all of his providers. Our attorneys wrote to his physicians and were able to get one to write a supportive narrative and another to complete a functional capacity assessment. The Fields Law team submitted the appeal with five exhibits totaling over two hundred pages. Upon consideration of the appeal, Metlife quickly overturned their prior denial, issued a check for back payments and reinstated our client’s ongoing future benefits.

In Texas, a man was employed at a telephone company where he worked for 10 years as a Journey Lineman. As part of his job, he climbed poles and worked close to dangerous electrical wires. Sadly, one day he witnessed a fellow employee die from electrocution, which resulted in his developing post-traumatic stress disorder. Initially, his disability carrier awarded him Short Term Disability, but then denied his application for Long Term Disability claiming lack of medical proof of disability.

He hired Fields Law, who recommended he undergo a neuropsychological evaluation. The evaluation unequivocally showed he suffered from a debilitating case of PTSD and could not work. The attorneys at Fields Law filed an appeal which resulted in a reversal of the disability carrier’s denial. Our client hopes to return to work soon, after undergoing much needed therapy, but is grateful for the disability payments to help him through this very difficult time.

A 40 year old Assembly Production team member was involved in a head-on collision and went to the emergency room. He was discharged the same day and attempted to return to work the following Monday. Unfortunately, he was unable to complete a full day of work due to postural restrictions secondary to pain and reduced range of motion. He followed up with a chiropractor who diagnosed him with lumbar and cervical disc bulges. He was given medically advised work restrictions of 4 hour days and less than occasional bending, lifting, squatting, pushing, pulling and no lifting greater than 25 pounds.

As part of his job, he was required to crawl in and out of automobile frames installing seats, trim, etc. The insurance company denied his Long Term Disability application, arguing that he did not remain disabled through the entirety of the policy’s 90 day elimination period. The insurance company had one of their own doctors allege that there was no objective evidence of his radicular pain. Unable to return to his employer with his work restrictions and unable to provide for his family, he reached out to Fields Law. The attorneys at Fields Law gathered all of our client’s updated medical records. They also reached out to the attorney representing our client for his motor vehicle accident to coordinate getting a narrative report from the spinal specialist he was referred to for a surgery consultation.

The Fields team drafted a strong appeal highlighting all of the errors, oversights and omissions contained in the insurer’s medical review and denial letter. After receiving the appeal supported by updated medical records, the insurance company was forced to overturn its initial denial and approve our client’s benefits.