Short & Long Term Disability Cases We’ve Won for Our Clients Against New York Life
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 case wins against New York Life.
Taneisha – Program Specialist – Pontiac, Michigan
Graves’ Disease, Depression, Anxiety, Anemia
A Program Specialist for an insurance company in Michigan left work due to developing Graves’ Disease and some additional conditions, which made it impossible to perform her skilled and stressful job. She applied for Long Term Disability benefits. She was initially approved and paid benefits for a year and a half. However, New York Life had one of its “Medical Directors” review the claim. The unnamed Medical Director determined she was no longer limited from performing her own occupation.
She received a denial letter and hired Fields Law to fight the denial on her behalf. Our attorneys secured detailed medical information from our client’s treating doctor showing she was unable to perform not just her own occupation, but any occupation in the national economy. The appeal was submitted with updated medical records and legal arguments supporting our client’s claim. New York Life reversed it’s decision and paid all outstanding benefits. Our client was so impressed with Fields Law Firm, she hired us to represent her against her insurer on an ongoing basis.
Jayne – District Manager – Howard City, Michigan
Complications Due to Stroke
A district sales manager from Michigan suffered a stroke. As a result, she had limited use of the right side of her body as well as difficulty with speech. Her Long Term Disability insurer initially accepted her claim but after three years, New York Life denied the claim. Their denial stated that the medical information available did not prevent her from working a sedentary occupation.
Not sure what he should do, she reached out to Fields Law. Our attorneys ordered updated medical records and obtained statements from our client’s treating doctors. We also had our client undergo a functional capacity evaluation. Armed with all of this evidence, our attorneys drafted a winning appeal. New York Life reversed their decision and reinstated our client’s benefits and paid all the past-due benefits.
Steve – Manufactouring Supervisor – Howell, Michigan
Bilateral Rotator Cuff Tears, Severe Arthritis and Degenerative Disc Disease, Degenerative Joint Disease in Right and Left Knee
A man from Michigan was originally taken off of work for his bilateral rotator cuff tears, severe arthritis and degenerative disc disease of the back, and degenerative joint disease in both right and left knee. He applied for Long Term Disability and began receiving monthly payments. He was also approved for Social Security Disability. However, four months before his policy’s definition of disability changed to “Any Occupation”, New York Life informed him that they determined he would not satisfy the changed definition of disability and it was therefore paying the remaining months prior to discontinuing benefits. He filed an appeal but unfortunately, New York Life upheld its decision.
He reached out to Fields Law for help with the final appeal available to him. The attorneys at Fields Law were able to build an appeal documenting New York Life’s numerous misstatements and mischaracterizations of relevant evidence. Further, we built significant support from our client’s treating doctors through narrative reports, asking narrowly tailored questions to New York Life’s doctors and outlining their true opinions in this case. After reviewing our appeal, New York Life reversed its decision, paid our client his back pay and monthly benefit payments.
