Long-Term Disability Lawyer near Chicago

In Illinois, long-term disability (LTD) insurance is often an employment benefit offered by employers to employees. Under the policy, usually offered as part of an overall benefits package, employees who become disabled and meet the policy conditions will be entitled to receive benefits equal to a set percentage of their base salary. 

How Does Long-Term Disability Work in Illinois

When an employee covered by a long-term disability insurance policy becomes disabled, he or she claims against the employer’s LTD plan. The plan will usually require some exclusion period and will then replace a designated percentage of the employee’s regulator paycheck. Note that the company issuing the policy determines whether the employee is disabled. As with all insurance companies faced with paying a claim, they are often reluctant to approve a claim or will try to pay less than the full amount owed. 

Do Any Conditions Automatically Qualify?

What each provider of LTD coverage will consider an immediate qualification for benefits may vary. Private LTD insurance generally considers the same types of conditions for a quick decision, including ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease), Parkinson’s MS, cancer, and schizophrenia. However, there are some conditions that certain entities treat as subject to quick determination. Among these are certain heart problems, mental disorders, immune system disorders such as HIV and Lupus, certain cancers, Crohn’s disease, and advanced kidney disease. 

This list is far from a complete one when it comes to what disabling conditions might qualify you for benefits from your insurer. Often, insurers will challenge the extent of your condition and its effects on your ability to work. This is when you need help from a long-term disability lawyer near Chicago.  

The right lawyer will know how to assess whether you should qualify for benefits under the terms of your disability insurance policy. They can also present evidence to the insurance adjuster to support your disability and inability to work. Many claims are denied from the start, but you often have a better chance at an initial approval of benefits if you have the right legal assistance. 

Contact a Long-Term Disability Attorney to Fight a Denial of Coverage

Each type of LTD coverage has its own policies and procedures for appealing a denial, especially those governed by ERISA. That is one reason that working with a skilled and knowledgeable long-term disability lawyer near Chicago can be so important. The appeals process for each type of denial is complex and complicated. More than half of all initial claims are denied, and you want an experienced professional whose efforts can help you end up in the right half of those LTD claims. 

Every privately issued employer LTD policy will have detailed qualification and appeal procedures laid out in its policy documents. Your best first step to qualifying for the benefits you need is to have a long-term disability lawyer near Chicago to help you avoid mistakes that can knock you out of the game.  Contact Bartolic Law today to set up an initial case evaluation.