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• Broadspire’s attempt to deny disability benefits after paying for 10 years is denied

  January 23, 2007 — Ms. Deborah Donovan, an input shift operator for Eaton Corp, was insured under the company’s self-funded group disability plan. Due to degenerative disk disease, chronic back pain and leg pain, Ms. Donovan filed a claim... » Click to continue reading

• MetLife ordered to pay disability benefits beyond 24 months for a claimant with both mental and physical disabilities

  January 23, 2007 — Mr. Mark J. Schwartz, an accountant, was insured under his employer’s group disability plan, sponsored by Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. (MetLife), which limits disability benefits for mental illness to 24 months, but to age 65... » Click to continue reading

• Federal Court rules that degenerative arthritis of claimant’s knee was a “sickness” and not caused by an “injury”

  January 23, 2007 — Lawrence Levy, M.D., insured under two disability policies with Minnesota Life Insurance Co., became disabled in March 1996 and has been receiving total disability benefits due to osteoarthritis in his right knee. Dr. Levy claims... » Click to continue reading

• MetLife’s attempts to stop paying total disability benefits after paying claimant for 10 years is denied

  January 23, 2007 — Robert Clarke, a market sales manager for Allstate Insurance Company, stopped working in 1992 due to lumbar spinal stenosis, claiming he was unable to sit, stand, or walk for more than 10 minutes. Mr. Clarke... » Click to continue reading

• Hartford ordered to re-evaluate denial of disability benefits

  December 21, 2006 — James Linnen, a powerhouse operator for Goodyear, Tire and Rubber Company, was insured under his company’s group disability plan issued by Continental Casualty Company. Mr. Linnen began collecting long-term disability benefits for narcolepsy and cataplexy... » Click to continue reading

• Hartford ordered to pay disability benefits

  December 21, 2006 — Donald Holman, a maintenance technician for Tyson Foods Inc., was insured under Tyson’s group disability plan with Hartford Life and Accident Insurance Co. In April, 2001, Mr. Holman began experiencing headaches and blurred vision. After... » Click to continue reading

• The growing appeal of disability insurance: sales rise as cheap policies prompt employers to offer coverage at a discount

  December 21, 2006 — By M.P. McQueen, The Wall Street Journal Tuesday, December 19, 2006 Often, Its one of the last safety nets people think about- after health, home, and car insurance. After life, dental, and maybe even pet insurance. But... » Click to continue reading

• U.S. judge orders Broadspire to reinstate a former bank employee’s disability benefits

  December 21, 2006 — Sandra Mikolajczyk, an employee of ABN AMBRO North America Inc., was awarded disability benefits for her depression, fatigue, chronic C6 radiculopathy, carpel tunnel syndrome, cholloid brain cyst, multivalve prolapse, cervical disc surgery, anterior cervical neural... » Click to continue reading

• Once dismissed as malingering, chronic fatigue syndrome finally getting respect

  November 21, 2006 — By Nancy McVicar, South Florida Sun-Sentinel Health Writer November 24 2006 Marly Silverman had a high-energy job as a financial consultant to a major U.S. bank, until she came down with a viral infection that she couldn’t... » Click to continue reading

• California Federal Court rejects Prudential’s attempt to limit claim

  November 21, 2006 — Rosa Wood had carpel tunnel syndrome and left work in 1999 because of it. After receiving short term disability benefits and undergoing back surgery, Ms. Wood applied for long term benefits. Initially, Ms. Wood’s claim... » Click to continue reading

• Can disability insurer force doctor to have surgery?

  November 21, 2006 — Florida Medical Business Curbside Consult: Greg Dell Q: I’m an orthopaedic surgeon who has pain my disability insurance policy premiums on time, every month, for nine years. I recently developed carpal tunnel syndrome and filed a claim.... » Click to continue reading

• Disability income often require attorney expertise

  November 21, 2006 — South Florida Hospital News, September 2006 By Lois Thompson “Insurance carriers don’t accept (disability) claims with open arms,” Steven Jay Dell exclaimed. In continuing, he pointed out that it sometimes seems as if the insurance companies look... » Click to continue reading

• Affidavit from former Unum Provident employee

  November 21, 2006 — UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT DISTRICT OF MAINE Daniel Donatelli, Plaintiff vs. UNUMPROVIDENT CORP., Defendant Civil No. 04-1-P-S AFFIDAVIT OF DANIEL DONATELLI NOW COMES Daniel Donatelli and hereby states as follows under oath: My name is Daniel Donatelli. I am... » Click to continue reading

• Long-term disability benefits terminated: ERISA violations: wrongful termination of benefits: lost benefits: judgment

  November 21, 2006 — Law Reporter February 2006 Davidson v. Metropolitan Life Ins. Co., U.S. Dist. Ct., C.D. Cal., No. SACV04-1151 DOC (Anx), Sept. 2, 2005 Davidson, 57, had a long term disability policy through his employer. In 1984, he developed... » Click to continue reading

• Depression has broad impact on disability, Aetna finds

  November 21, 2006 — Employee Benefit News, September 15, 2006 Chris Silva There is a greater connection between depression and disability leave than was previously known, according to research from Aetna. The health insurer examined short-term disability claims from Jan. 1, 2002... » Click to continue reading

• Workers misunderstand income needs during disability

  October 21, 2006 — BenefitNews.com American workers are in the dark about how to manage their income if they become unable to work due to a disability, a new UnumProvident and Harris Interactive poll of 1,700 U.S. adults reveals. A whopping... » Click to continue reading

• Continental Insurance Company ordered to pay long-term disability benefits to bank employee

  October 21, 2006 — June 23, 2006, U.S. District Judge Joe B. McDade of the Central District of Illinois Ruled in favor of Susan Svejda, an employee of Mercantile Bancorp. Ms. Svedja was employed with Mercantile until 2002. After... » Click to continue reading

• CIGNA can not change ERISA standard of review

  August 21, 2006 — United States 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals decided March 2006 In Gibbs v. Cigna, the parties disputed whether the summary plan description reserved discretionary authority to the plan administrator. If so, the administrator’s decision would be... » Click to continue reading

• ERISA disability benefits denied by Lumbermens Mutual casualty due to lack of objective evidence

  August 21, 2006 — Wangenstein v. Equifax, Inc., 2006 WL 2220822 (11th Cir. Aug. 4, 2006) ERISA plans often deny claims for disability benefits based on a lack of objective evidence. The plans argue that claimants must provide objective test... » Click to continue reading

• The insurance industries view of disability claims

  August 21, 2006 — Employee Benefit News, March 2006 Since Jan.1, when legions of baby boomers began morphing into sexagenarians at a rate of about 8,000 a day, employers have expedited their search for ways of managing the unique health... » Click to continue reading

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