Short & Long Term Disability Cases We’ve Won for Our Clients Against UNUM

A manager from North Carolina had been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia and Multiple Sclerosis. Her job at a rental car business required her to drive the rental cars and work overtime. She was forced to stop working because she could only work six hours a day and was prescribed medications that would prohibit her from operating a moving vehicle. She initially received Long Term Disability benefits from her insurer, but after a few months she was sent a letter explaining that benefits would stop because she no longer met their definition of “disabled.” The mother of twins was upset at her sudden loss of income, so she contacted Fields Law Firm for help.

The attorneys at Fields Law contacted our client’s doctors to compile reports of all of her symptoms and treatments and also hired their own vocational expert to review the case and issue a report. Her attorneys filed an appeal, and the insurer reversed its denial decision and reinstated her Long Term Disability benefits. The attorneys were able to get a lump-sum for all the missed payments our client was rightfully entitled to.

A bank operations specialist from New York was in a serious car accident. She was rear-ended and her car was violently sandwiched between the car that hit her and the car in front of her. After the accident, she was unable to stay in her chair at work due to severe discomfort and soreness. An MRI revealed that she had damage to her vertebrae and spinal cord at three different levels. Her doctor recommended leaving work. She applied for Long Term Disability benefits but Unum denied her claim, stating that she did not suffer any acute injury.

Shocked by Unum’s decision, she called Fields Law Firm for help. Our team gathered all our client’s medical records and the Fields Law attorneys drafted a strong appeal to Unum. The appeal highlighted important records that they had missed, including one doctor who said our client was 75% disabled and recommended she stop work immediately. Based on these records, the Fields Law attorneys drafted a strong legal argument on appeal that our client’s injury was acute and disabling. Unum changed its mind and granted benefits and our client received a lump-sum payment for backpay and ongoing monthly income.

An Accounts Receivable Clerk from Nevada worked for many years before she was involved in a serious car accident. She suffered numerous injuries in the accident, including a compound fracture of her right ulna and a traumatic brain injury. She underwent four failed surgeries on her right forearm, and eventually had a fifth surgery which just barely managed to stabilize her condition. She suffered from persistent pain and immobility in her right arm. She had also developed carpal tunnel syndrome, cognitive deficits, and a variety of mental health conditions after the accident and subsequent recovery. She applied for Long Term Disability benefits from her insurance carrier but was denied upon application. In their denial letter, Unum claimed that her conditions had improved to the point where she could return to work.

Knowing she needed help, and having just given birth to a baby son, the woman sought out help. She contacted Fields Law, and quickly signed on our team of attorneys to appeal Unum’s denial decision. We gathered extensive medical documentation of her recovery and functional capabilities, outlining the path of her recovery. In addition, we secured a functional capacity assessment from her physical therapist, a narrative report from her primary care physician, and a specialized vocational report from a third party expert. The Fields Law team ended up submitting hundreds of pages of exhibits with our already lengthy appeal proving our client’s disabled status. Unum was forced to review all of the documentation, and upon consideration, overturned their prior denial of our client’s benefits, including backpay benefits. Our client was able to focus on her recovery and care for her newborn son.