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

An Administrative Manager was forced to leave work when she suffered a traumatic brain injury with post-concussion syndrome. Her symptoms resulted in ophthalmological issues, migraines, depression, and anxiety. She applied for Long Term Disability benefits, which were denied by CIGNA from the outset.

Unsure of what to do, she hired Fields Law Firm to file an appeal. CIGNA failed to handle the appeal fairly and denied our client’s benefits; relying on a doctor report that stated the woman could perform her job as an administrative manager if she limited her computer use to 30 minutes at a time with 15-30 minute breaks. Our attorneys hired a vocational consultant to state there was no chance she could perform her job if she was limited to such short periods of computer use. On the second appeal, CIGNA acknowledged the error and approved our client’s benefits. She was grateful to her attorneys for continuing to fight on her behalf, even after the first appeal denial.

A crane operator from Virginia began experiencing numbness in his hands and feet. His job required climbing 140-250 foot ladders to do crane maintenance. Eventually his condition became too severe and he was forced to stop working. His insurer initially approved his claim for Long Term Disability benefits. He received benefits for about two years until suddenly his insurer said he no longer fit their definition of “disabled.”

Worried about his lost income, the crane operator contacted Fields Law for assistance with an appeal. The attorneys at Fields Law contacted all three of his treating physicians to obtain detailed reports of our client’s condition. They reviewed the claim file from the insurer and found that not all of our client’s symptoms were considered. Our attorneys sent a strong appeal to the insurer that was ultimately approved. Our client received a lump-sum payment for back-pay and was awarded continuing Long Term Disability benefits. He was glad about the decision, and relieved that he no longer had to fight the insurance company.

Being diagnosed with Glioblastoma, an Electrical Technician from Virginia developed symptoms that ultimately got him removed from work by his treating doctors. He applied for Long Term Disability benefits through his employer’s plan with Voya administered by ReliaStar. Regrettably, Voya denied his claim for benefits asserting that treatment received prior to applying for benefits barred his claim as pre-existing.

He reached out to Fields Law Firm for help fighting this denial. Our attorneys examined all of our client’s medical records and all of the documentation utilized by Voya in denying benefits. Next, our team drafted an appeal outlining that the pre-existing condition limitation did not apply to this case based upon the objective evidence contained within the file and the opinions of the treating doctors.

Unfortunately, prior to submitting this claim, our client passed away from his debilitating Glioblastoma. Our attorneys submitted the appeal and argued that our client’s family was entitled to the Survivor Benefit available under the relevant Policy in addition to our client’s back pay for wrongly denying this claim. After receiving and reviewing our appeal, Voya paid our client’s family his back pay and the Survivor Benefit.