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

A Senior Software Engineer from Massachusetts was forced to stop working, less than a decade before retirement. She had battled anxiety and depression for years, but recently developed a progressive and incurable neurological condition. The disease was called Cervical Dystonia, and it caused her neck muscles to uncontrollably contract, forcing her head to painfully twist and turn. Her quality of life began deteriorating quickly, and then she learned that she needed brain surgery to address her worsening condition.

Rightfully concerned about her financial security, she applied for Long Term Disability benefits. However, while CIGNA reviewed her claim, they began sending her a seemingly endless number of requests for more information. She responded to the requests at her own expense, but CIGNA still denied her application for benefits a month later. In their denial, they effectively claimed that she wasn’t actually disabled and was just choosing not to work.

She was frustrated with the insurance provider’s tactics, and sought out the best disability advocates to handle her case. She found the team of attorneys at Fields Law Firm. Our attorneys were able to get to work on her case right away, gathering the necessary documents, and obtaining favorable medical opinions from her treating physicians.

Our attorneys reviewed the denial letter and wrote a strong appeal. We argued that CIGNA had failed to both properly consider our client’s medical records and conduct due diligence through an independent medical examination. Based on our appeal, the insurer agreed to conduct an independent medical review. After receiving the results of the review, they quickly overturned their previous denial, granting our client Long Term Disability benefits with back pay. Our client was soon able to cash a substantial check and began receiving regular payments for her Long Term Disability benefits.

An installation coordinator for a sign and graphics company in Kansas had chronic pain in her hip. She was forced to stop working because her condition required shifting positions every few minutes and her employer could not accommodate her. She applied for Short Term Disability benefits through her employer’s insurance plan but was denied. While she was considering her options for Short Term Benefits, enough time passed that her claim converted to a Long Term Disability claim.

With two separate but overlapping claims pending, she called Fields Law to help determine the best course of action. The Fields Law attorneys reviewed the denial documents from CIGNA and our support team gathered updated medical records from all our client’s physicians. Our attorneys found that the insurance company disregarded important findings from our client’s doctors and drafted a strong appeal to CIGNA. The appeal was successful and our client received a lump-sum payment for back pay and ongoing monthly benefits. Our client was pleased with the representation Fields Law provided and was happy to have her monthly income restored.

A Distribution Coordinator for Driscoll’s suffered from severe back pain and depression. His condition prevented him from performing his job, which required him to be on his feet for many hours per day. His insurer initially approved his claim for Long Term Disability benefits, but his claim was later denied. CIGNA asserted that they found he had no activity restrictions that were medically supported and that they had identified occupations he could perform.

Clearly unable to work and unable to fight the insurance company, he reached out to Fields Law. His attorney reviewed CIGNA’s file and developed a plan to fight the denial. He updated medical records and requested reports from our client’s treating doctors. With the updated records and reports, our team then drafted a winning appeal. CIGNA reversed their decision and reinstated our client’s monthly benefits and paid all the past-due benefits. The client was so thankful to get his benefits back and relieved that he would no longer have to worry about finding income to support his family.