Six Ways You Can Protect Your Rights to Disability Benefits

Long term disabilities can happen unexpectedly, or they may be the result of a chronic medical condition. In either case, they can have major impacts on your health, preventing you from working or providing for yourself and your loved ones. Disability benefits can provide a lifeline in this situation, helping to ensure your financial security. The following highlights six important steps you can take to help protect your rights to these benefits. 

Protecting Yourself in the Event of a Disability

No one expects to become disabled, but the fact is that it can happen either due to sudden injuries, illnesses or as the result of ongoing medical issues. According to statistics from the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), roughly 20% of all residents in Illinois suffer some type of disability which impairs their mobility or cognitive functions. These can also impact their ability to perform certain tasks that may be required as part of their jobs. 

In this situation, you may be entitled to disability benefits to offset the losses in income you suffer. To protect yourself and your rights to these benefits, it is important to take the following steps: 

• Get regular medical care. Routine medical care plays a crucial role in being approved for disability benefits. Visit your doctor regularly and make sure they are aware of all your symptoms and any ongoing conditions from which you suffer. 
• Follow all of your doctor’s instructions. This includes undergoing required medical testing and treatment, as well as adhering to any work or activity restrictions. 
• Keep copies of all medical bills, statements, and summaries of care. All of these records provide important documentation when filing your disability claim. 
• Keep notes about your disability and the impact it has on your life. Consider using a journal to make notes about how your disability affects you on a daily basis and the impact it has on your loved ones. 
• Review benefits available through your employer. If your employer provides long term disability benefits, they are required to provide a detailed description of coverage under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). 
• Review eligibility guidelines for Social Security disability insurance (SSDI). In addition to any policies provided through your employer, you may also be eligible for benefits through the Social Security Administration (SSA). 

Contact Our Chicago Long Term Disability Attorneys

Disability benefits are vital to being able to provide for yourself. At Bartolic Law, we act as a strong advocate on your side, so you can get the maximum amount to which you are entitled to. Call or contact our Chicago disability benefits attorney online and request a consultation today.