If you have become unable to work as a result of a condition unrelated to COVID, it is likely that your disability claim has still become affected by COVID implications. During the course of your claim for disability benefits, you will be required to complete a claimant’s statement, attending physician’s statement and medical records related to your disabling condition(s).
During the course of your disability claim, both during the initial application phase and even after you have been approved for Short or Long Term Disability benefits, you will be required to continue to show, through medical records and treating physician’s opinions, that you are disabled from working.
The COVID implications on the medical field as a result of the pandemic has been overwhelming and impacts almost all aspects of the treatment that you can obtain. Thus far, insurance companies have been accepting delays in obtaining medical records. However, it is unlikely that they will be accepting of a gap in treatment as a result of the pandemic. Safeguard barriers and other scheduling delays will not be a basis for such a gap.
Most disability insurance policies require proof of disability for the entire period for which benefits will be approved. It is likely that an ongoing claim for benefits will be denied if this proof is not provided. If your physician is canceling or postponing non-emergent appointments, you may be required to seek treatment elsewhere. If an in-person appointment is not available, your next best option is any telehealth option that may be available. This will allow you to still communicate with your doctor while he is completing any forms or medical notes and ensure that their office is responding to the insurance company’s questions completely and accurately.
If you have any questions about your short term disability or long term disability claim, please give Herbert M. Hill, P.A. a call and we would be glad to answer any questions you may have. If you would like, after discussing your case, we can set a conference. In most circumstances, that conference would be free of charge but in no circumstance would you be under any obligation to hire me nor would you feel any pressure from me to do so.
Herbert M. Hill, P.A. is a law firm located in Orlando, Florida with a practice extending throughout the state of Florida. While the vast majority of cases handled are for disability insurance benefits, areas of practice include employee benefit claims of all sorts. The firm handles any claims arising under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (“ERISA”) for disability benefits, medical benefits, retirement benefits of any sort, including pension, 401k, termination agreements or the like as well as claims arising under private disability policies.
