Short & Long Term Disability Cases We’ve Won for Our Clients in New Jersey

A Customer Service Clerk in New Jersey developed multiple herniations to her Lumbar, Thoracic, and Cervical spine. These disc herniations caused shooting pain and numbness down one of her shoulders, into the arm, and down her back, into her legs. Her treating doctor advised she stop working, so she applied for Long Term Disability through her employer’s plan. New York Life denied the claim after its in-house doctors reviewed her medical records. They told her that their doctors had determined her conditions were not severe enough to support limitations and restrictions, so from their point of view she could work full time.

Fields Law successfully argued that New York Life’s doctors selectively cited and ignored critical information from the medical records, and that our client’s treating physician was in the best position to assess her conditions. Consequently, New York Life overturned its decision, paid our client her back pay, and commenced monthly benefit payments.

A Senior Finance Manager from New Jersey found out she was no longer able to work due to anxiety, depression, lupus, heart conditions, back conditions, fatigue, and migraines. The employer provided both Short Term and Long Term Disability policies, which she elected to receive coverage under both policies. She was initially approved for Short Term Disabillity benefits and received weekly pay for almost five months.

However, the insurer terminated her Short Term Disability benefits because they concluded that she did not meet the Definition of Disabled any longer. Lincoln Financail also denied her application for Long Term Disability benefits for the same reason. Upset with the illogical decision to terminate Short Term benefits, and outright deny Long Term Disability benefits, she contacted Fields Law Firm to submit an appeal of both adverse decisions.

The attorneys at Fields Law pulled together all of our client’s medical records and generated reports. We sent our client to a neurophysiological functional capacity evaluation, which generated a report of cognitive functional abilities. Equipped with a comprehensive appeal and substantial favorable medical records, the attorneys at Fields Law submitted an appeal. Lincoln Financial issued a new decision and overturned its prior termination of Short Term Disability benefits, and its prior denial of Long Term Disability benefits. Lincoln Financial proceeded to issue a backpay check for the months that it failed to pay our client previously on both the Short Term Disability and Long Term Dissability policies.

In New Jersey, a man worked as a pipe fitter and welder. He suffered from severe back pain due to a workplace injury. MRI’s showed pressure on his spinal cord in his lumbar spine along with a bulging disc. As a result of his pain, he could not work. His insurer initially approved his claim for Long Term Disability benefits but the claim was later denied. The denial letter asserted that the medical information available did not support ongoing disability.

Unsure of what to do, he reached out to Fields Law. His attorney reviewed the insurance company’s file and developed a plan to fight the denial. Our attorney updated medical records and requested reports from the client’s treating doctors. With the updated records and reports, we then drafted a winning appeal. The insurance company reversed their decision, reinstating our client’s monthly benefits and paid all the past-due benefits. Our client was incredibly relieved to know that his source of income had been restored.