Short & Long Term Disability Cases We’ve Won for Our Clients Against Reliance Standard
Fields Law Firm successfully recovers millions of dollars each year for our disabled clients throughout the United States. Our Long Term Disability experience is matched by very few other law firms in the country and has earned us a national reputation.
Here are just a few examples of our Long Term Disability appeal case wins against Reliance Standard.
Elena – Lead Health Care Associate – Manchester, New Hampshire
Lumbar Radiculopathy, Spinal Issues, Chronic Back Pain, Epidural Fibrosis
A lead health care associate in New Hampshire stopped working due to lumbar radiculopathy, spinal issues, chronic back pain, and epidural fibrosis. After previously approveing benefits, Reliance Standard ended benefits by asserting the policy’s definition of disability was no longer met.
Fields Law Firm took over insurer communications, evaluated the stated basis for termination, and prepared an appeal supported by medical and occupational evidence. The appeal resulted in recovery of months of back pay and reinstatement of ongoing Long Term Disability benefits, restoring the stability the policy was intended to provide.
Sandy – Advanced Quality Coordinator – Decatur, Indiana
Chronic Low Back Pain, Pseudo Arthrosis of Lumbar Spine
An experienced advanced quality coordinator in Indiana stopped working after chronic low back pain and pseudoarthrosis of the lumbar spine made job duties unsustainable. Long Term Disability benefits were initially approved, along with Social Security Disability, but after several years the insurer, Reliance Standard, terminated monthly LTD payments, removing a primary source of income.
Fields Law attorneys moved quickly to prepare a comprehensive appeal. The Fields team gathered updated medical records and supporting documentation, and the assigned attorney drafted a detailed legal memorandum explaining why benefits should be reinstated under the policy terms. Reliance Standard later reversed its decision, reinstated monthly LTD payments, and issued backpay, restoring the financial support the client was entitled to receive.
Amber – Account Manager – West Valley City, Utah
Chronic Pain, Degenerative Disc Disease, Spinal Stenosis, Fibromyalgia, Anxiety, Major Depressive Disorder
An Account Manager had to stop working due to Chronic Pain, Degenerative Disc Disease, Spinal Stenosis, Fibromyalgia, Anxiety, and Major Depressive Disorder. The employer provided a Long Term Disability policy, which she elected to receive coverage under. When she became eligible for Long Term Disability benefits from the policy’s carrier, she applied and was initially approved, receiving monthly payments for almost one year.
However, Reliance Standard terminated her Long Term Disability benefits, indicating no benefits were payable because she did not meet the definition of Totally Disabled. Reliance Standard based the denial decision on her Facebook page which showed a 4-day vacation with a rental car. This apparently meant that she could return to work.
Upset with the arbitrary decision to terminate benefits, she contacted Fields Law Firm for legal representation and to submit an appeal. The attorneys at Fields Law pulled together comprehensive medical records, reports, and a timeline for this alleged vacation, and submitted an appeal for our client. Reliance Standard issued a new decision and overturned its prior denial of Long Term Disability benefits. Reliance Standard proceeded to issue a backpay check for the months that it failed to pay our client previously.
