Short & Long Term Disability Cases We’ve Won for Our Clients in Indiana
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 and lawsuit case wins in Indiana.
Ty – Truck Driver – Merrillville, Indiana
Radiating Back Sain, Spondylosis, Chronic Neck Pain, Chronic Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS)
A truck driver from Indiana needed surgery after an ankle injury. The surgery exacerbated long-standing issues with back and neck pain. He could no longer stand or sit for more than a few minutes at a time. He needed help with basic hygiene, putting on his shoes, and preparing food. It was impossible for him to go back to work. Once his Short Term Disability expired, he applied for Long Term Disability benefits. His employer-provided insurance package approved him for monthly benefits however, after receiving benefits for eleven months, Liberty Mutual stopped paying because he no longer fit their definition of disability.
Worried about his lost income, and still needing help for everyday tasks, he called Fields Law for help. Our support team quickly gathered all of our client’s medical records and the claim file from Liberty Mutual. The Fields Law attorneys reviewed all the evidence and ordered supplemental reports from a vocational specialist who showed that there was no way our client could return to work. Our attorneys sent an appeal to Liberty Mutual with the strengthened evidence and applicable legal arguments. The insurance company changed their decision, and our client received a lump-sum for back pay and ongoing monthly benefits.
Kellie – Licensed Practical Nurce – Pendleton, Indiana
COPD, Pneumonia, Fibromyalgia, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Immunodeficiency, Depression, Anxiety
A nurse from Indiana was forced to stop working due to a variety of medical conditions including COPD, pneumonia, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, depression and anxiety. She applied for Long Term Disability benefits and her claim was accepted and her insurer began paying benefits. For the first two years of benefits, she only had to show Unum that she was not capable of working in her job as a nurse. After the first two years of benefits, she had to show that she was not capable of returning to any gainful occupation. Unum used this change in the definition of disability as an opportunity to deny her ongoing benefits.
When Unum discontinued her benefits, they cited a listed of jobs that they felt she could perform. She knew she did not have the physical capacity to perform any of the jobs. Moreover, she lacked the necessary education, experience, and skills.
She turned to Fields Law Firm for help and our attorneys took a weight off our client’s shoulders by handling the entire appeal process. We worked with our client’s doctors to refute assertions that she could return to work in various jobs. We gathered medical records and drafted legal arguments in support of our client’s claim for benefits. After reviewing the information that Fields Law submitted in support of her appeal, Unum was forced to overturn their denial of benefits, paid her back pay and reinstate her disability benefits.
