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Getting Long-Term Disability Benefits in Michigan

You can’t work because of bad health, but the insurance company is refusing your long-term disability benefits. You’re angry.

You have every right to be angry.

In your career, you’ve been nothing but hard-working and dedicated. You’re proud of your professional accomplishments. Can they get away with treating you this way?

Maybe not.

If your long-term disability (LTD) insurance company cut off your payments—or they denied your claim in the first place—get an attorney from Levine Benjamin Law Firm to fight back.

Winning and keeping benefits is one of the best ways to maintain the lifestyle you’ve earned.

Levine Benjamin has been helping people with health problems and financial worries in Toledo, Traverse City and across Michigan and Ohio since 1964.

What would you like to do?

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Learn Why You Need a Lawyer >

Do I Need an Attorney to Reclaim My LTD Benefits?

You have coverage, so why should you have to fight? Unfortunately, long-term disability is a complicated area of law. Click on the plus signs to see some of the issues a lawyer can sort out:
You have coverage, so why should you have to fight? Unfortunately, long-term disability is a complicated area of law. Swipe to see some of the issues a lawyer can sort out:

Different Disability Definitions

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Different Disability Definitions

Depending on your employer’s insurance carrier, your policy might consider a disability long-term when it will last six months. Or, maybe they’ll say it has to last a year.

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Different Appealing Deadlines

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Different Appealing Deadlines

Because LTD insurance policies are all different, when they deny you, sometimes they give you 60 days to appeal. Sometimes they give you 180.

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Changing Burden of Proof

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Changing Burden of Proof

When you’ve received LTD benefits for a while, the insurance company will often ramp up the requirements you must meet to continue getting benefits. This usually happens between six and 24 months.

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Difficult Process

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Difficult Process

Getting long-term disability benefits can be a long process. You have to fill out a lot of forms. Some require input from your doctor, some from your employer and some from you.

Learn More >

Different Disability Definitions

Plus Sign
Different Disability Definitions

Depending on your employer’s insurance carrier, your policy might consider a disability long-term when it will last six months. Or, maybe they’ll say it has to last a year.

Learn More >

Different Appealing Deadlines

Plus Sign
Different Appealing Deadlines

Because LTD insurance policies are all different, when they deny you, sometimes they give you 60 days to appeal. Sometimes they give you 180.

Learn More >

Changing Burden of Proof

Plus Sign
Changing Burden of Proof

When you’ve received LTD benefits for a while, the insurance company will often ramp up the requirements you must meet to continue getting benefits. This usually happens between six and 24 months.

Learn More >

Difficult Process

Plus Sign
Difficult Process

Getting long-term disability benefits can be a long process. You have to fill out a lot of forms. Some require input from your doctor, some from your employer and some from you.

Learn More >

Fight Your LTD Denial

Read Transcript >

Joe Houle:
If your insurance company denies your long-term disability claim—or stops paying an existing claim—don’t give up. Remember, you paid for those benefits.

You worked hard. You’re proud of what you accomplished. Now you have a health condition that keeps you from being able to work. And your insurance company won’t pay you.

Hi, I’m Joe Houle from Levine Benjamin.

Gary Bimberg:
And I’m Gary Bimberg

You’ve got a lot at stake with long-term disability.

If you’re a professional with a personal policy—like a doctor, lawyer, business owner—or you have a policy through your work, you’re facing a sharp drop in income when you can’t work.

Long-term disability benefits can be crucial to maintaining the lifestyle you’re used to.

Joe:
Sometimes insurance companies outright deny your claim.

Other times, they award you benefits for a while, but then cut you off—when they decide your health has improved.

You know better than them if you can go back to work, so appeal that denial or termination.

But don’t wait. You could miss a deadline.

Gary:
The insurance companies have plenty of lawyers.

Get someone on your side, too. Fill out the form, or call us today.

From applying to appealing, we help you every step of the way.

Why Was My LTD Claim Denied?

Because every policy and every insurance company is different, you can get denied long-term disability benefits for many reasons, including:

  • Medical records are missing from your file.
  • A claims adjuster misunderstands the severity of your disability.
  • The insurance company says you didn’t get the proper treatment.
  • Your policy’s definition of disability changes after a set period of time.
  • Your insurer doesn’t cover a certain injury or illness.
  • Your insurer conducts surveillance on you and says you’re healthier than you say.

All of these problems can be overcome. But the insurance company might say you just need to write them a letter. That’s not good enough.

The long-term disability attorneys at Levine Benjamin can review your particular policy and explain your options.

LEARN MORE:
Understanding Your Policy >
Denied? >
ERISA vs. Individual >

The long-term disability insurance policy you get through your employer is governed by a federal law called ERISA.

What Does It Mean That I Have an ERISA Policy?

If you get your LTD insurance through your employer, your plan is probably governed by a federal law called ERISA—the Employee Retirement Income Security Act.

You also can buy LTD insurance individually. Generally, ERISA plans are less expensive but the benefits are less generous than individual plans. They pay between 50% and 75% of your salary. Individual plans might pay more.

And ERISA plans usually have a tougher standard for deciding when you have a disability: You have to prove you can’t perform any occupation. An individual plan, on the other hand, might only require you to show you can’t perform your own occupation.

ERISA is supposed to protect workers, but sometimes it’s the insurance companies it really protects. Sometimes, you have additional protection under state laws.

If your doctor said you can’t work, and that you probably have a long-term disability, don’t wait to call an attorney and get the payments you deserve.

You can start with Levine Benjamin by getting a free evaluation of your claim.

Get My Free Evaluation! >

Client Gets Real Help from Levine Benjamin:

“I have never worked with another attorney who I have trusted more or felt that they truly wanted to help me more than you!”

Martha Ewald