How will you support yourself and your family when you cannot work due to an illness or injury? Our Ocoee LTD claim lawyers offer tips on getting the benefits you are entitled to.

Long Term Disability benefits are intended to replace a portion of the income you normally receive from your job. Your LTD (Long Term Disability) policy should take over if an illness or injury keeps you from earning a paycheck. However, these policies can be complex, and securing the necessary benefits can take time and effort. Attorney Herbert M. Hill explains when you should hire a Long Term Disability lawyer below.

Your Ocoee LTD claim lawyers can help you understand your policy, file your claim, execute an appeal, and represent you in front of a judge if needed. These are our top tips for dealing with an LTD claim.

Tip #1: Understand Your Policy

Step one when filing a Long Term Disability claim is to get a copy of your policy from your employer’s human resources department. When reading your policy, pay special attention to the following terms:

Definition of Disability – This definition varies across policies and can significantly impact your ability to receive benefits. The two categories of LTD policies are “own occupation” and “any occupation” and have to do with the policyholder’s ability to perform their specific job versus any job.

One example of “own vs. any” would be a firefighter who may not be able to run into burning buildings and carry people to safety, but they could sit at a desk and perform an office job. Ocoee LTD claim lawyers can explain in detail how this differentiation affects your eligibility for benefits.

Exclusions and Limitations – Exclusions and limitations refer to specific circumstances or conditions that may restrict or limit coverage under a long-term disability (LTD) insurance policy and can include:

• Pre-Existing Conditions
• Mental Conditions
• Waiting Period
• Duration of Benefits
• Taxability of Benefits
• Social Security Benefits
• And others

Your LTD attorney can help you determine whether these conditions apply to you and how they may affect your benefits eligibility.

Tip #2: Document Your Disability

A crucial part of the claim process is providing adequate medical evidence to support your diagnosis. Some conditions are more difficult to prove with medical records, but you must gather as much documentation as possible. This evidence should include medical tests, treatment notes, hospital visits, and any other documentation that would help substantiate your claim of disability.

Our team of Ocoee LTD claim lawyers can help you gather this evidence and seek additional documentation to help your claim.

Tip #3: Navigate The Claims Process

When you are ready to file your LTD claim, an attorney who focuses only on Long Term Disability cases will be your best partner. Our team can ensure you submit documentation on time without omitting important information that could hinder your claim.

LTD claims are commonly denied due to lack of medical evidence, missing deadlines, and not fully understanding the Long Term Disability policy. We can help you navigate the complex and complicated process of submitting an initial claim and filing an appeal if it gets denied.

Tip #4: Hire An LTD Attorney

The most important tip we can offer if you need to file a Long Term Disability claim is to seek out a lawyer whose practice focuses exclusively on LTD cases. At Herbert M. Hill, P.A., our experience handling benefit claims combines decades of legal practice, ensuring we have the skills and knowledge to manage your claim successfully. Contact us today to schedule a free case evaluation. We look forward to speaking with you.