Short & Long Term Disability Cases We’ve Won for Our Clients Against Principal
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 Principal.
Wendy – Nurse Anesthetist – Muskogee, Oklahoma
Spinal Fusion, Neck Pain, Back Pain
An Oklahoma Nurse Anesthetist was injured while serving in the military. She managed the pain for years, but eventually required spinal fusion surgery. After surgery, she experienced numbness in her arms and hands. She could not continue working as a nurse. Her insurance company denied her application for Long Term Disability benefits because of a dispute about when her coverage started.
Worried about her loss of income, she contacted Fields Law for help. The Fields Law attorneys collected all of the documentation from Principal and from our client’s doctors. They found documentation that firmly established the coverage date for our client, as well as medical records that supported continued disability payments.
Our attorneys submitted a strong appeal to Principal and attached all the supporting evidence. Principal overturned their denial, sent a lump-sum check to our client for back-pay, and approved continued benefits. Our client was overjoyed with the result, and retained Fields Law to help with any future issues with her benefits.
Patrick – Restaurant Manager – Charlotte, North Carolina
Type II Diabetes, Diabetic Neuropathy
A restaurant manager became disabled after developing severe diabetic neuropathy in his feet. The numbness and pain kept him from being on his feet for extended periods of time. He was unable to work because his fast-paced job as a restaurant manager required constant standing and walking. He filed a claim for Short Term Disability benefits and the insurance company paid benefits for a few weeks, agreeing he was unable to perform the duties of his medium-duty occupation. Without warning, Principal denied benefits because they believed he could return to work.
He decided to hire Fields Law to help him appeal the denial decision. Our attorneys updated our client’s medical records and secured disability paperwork from our client’s treating physicians describing his neuropathic pain and limitations. The appeal was submitted with legal arguments regarding Principal’s duty to consider all of the evidence and provide a full and fair review. Shortly after the appeal was submitted, Principal overturned the denial and paid all outstanding benefits. Our client was also subsequently approved for Long Term Disability due to the Short Term Disability appeal.
Derrick – Car Salesman – Durham, North Carolina
Lupus, Mixed Connective Tissue Disease, Myositis, Degenerative Disc Disease
A car salesman from North Carolina suffered from Lupus, Mixed Connective Tissue Disease, Myositis, and Degenerative Disc Disease. Unfortunately, his conditions progressively worsened until his doctors were forced to take him off work. His insurance company paid him Long Term Disability benefits for two years under the Own Occupation definition of disability. However, six months before the definition of disability changed, Principal started reviewing his case. They hired private investigators to follow him and his family, sent him to an IME, and had individuals do an in-home visit to assess his disability. Based upon this review, Principal cut off his benefits, alleging he would not satisfy the new definition of disability.
He quickly reached out to Fields Law Firm for help fighting this decision. Our team of attorneys successfully argued that our client’s condition was progressive and, in fact, worsening. Additionally, our team reviewed the surveillance footage from Principal’s private investigators and showed that this surveillance actually supported our client’s disability claim. Lastly, our attorneys documented the numerous moments where Principal selectively cited, misstated, and ignored relevant evidence in denying benefits. After reviewing our appeal, the denial decision was reversed. Our client was awarded back pay, and recommenced monthly benefit payments.
