Disability Insurance Challenges for Doctors

Very few occupations carry as much prestige and respect as that of a medical doctor. No other occupation requires such a lengthy commitment to schooling and extended periods of training before one is able to actually start working in their chosen profession. In light of the amount of time and financial investment in one’s education and training most doctors obtain disability insurance policies as a way to insure that in the unforeseen event of a medical condition that prevents them from working they will still be able to support themselves and their families.

Although no one expects to find themselves disabled, it is not uncommon that doctors find themselves unable to work due to a medical condition. From our experience representing numerous doctors, applications for long term disability benefits filed by and on behalf of medical professionals often prove to be some of the most complicated and involved disability claims. This is often a direct byproduct of multiple factors, to include the nature of the practice of medicine, the occupational demands of being doctor, factors related to proper medical treatment, and any potential secondary gains argument.

Doctors Are Not Always the Best Patients

One of the most common occurrences we see when reviewing information in the preparation of filing a claim for disability benefits is a lack of proper medical treatment. Doctors, unlike any other profession, are in a unique position to be able to best understand a medical condition and the treatment of same. This can lead to self-treatment, or as is often the case, treating with colleagues off the record as to the potentially disabling condition. This becomes quite problematic when filing for long term disability as any disability insurance carrier will first and foremost review the available medical records to determine if there is a medically impairing condition and discernible restrictions and limitations on account of same. Without proper medical documentation of applicable restrictions and limitations the insurance company will most certainly determine that there is no evidence in support of an alleged disability.

Doctors, especially in medical specialties that require surgical duties, are usually hesitant to formally have medical conditions and complaints committed to writing. For example, a surgeon whose medical records indicate numbness and tingling in the hands would certainly be faced with the possibility of the end of their career or concerns of a malpractice claim in the event something would unfortunately happen in the operating room. So what is a doctor to do? Unfortunately, the answer is almost always, “It depends.” It depends on various factors, such as the specialty of medicine one practices, the medical condition causing disability, and the actual policy language and provisions contained in one’s disability policy.

The Case for Residual To Total Disability

When applying for a long term disability policy one of the most common riders offered is a Residual or Partial Disability Rider – the terms are generally interchangeable. Simply put, these riders allow a doctor to continue to work and receive a proportionate amount of a disability benefits so long as there is either a requisite loss of earnings or ability to perform ones occupational duties for the same amount of time it used to take- the standard for Residual or Partial Disability is policy specific.

Most doctors I have spoken to are the consummate “Type A” personality and will only consider disability as an absolute last resort. I have yet to meet a doctor who hasn’t faced a great amount of personal turmoil at the thought of ceasing the practice of medicine. One way in which we work with doctors who have concerns about the impact of a medical condition on their ability to work, but are not ready to go out completely on disability is to evaluate the claim for a Residual or Partial Disability claim. A partial disability claim would allow a doctor to not only receive treatment – ideally with direction from their treatment provider to reduce work duties – but to see if the reduced schedule or reduction in certain occupational duties will allow them to continue to practice medicine. It is common that a doctor is covered under a period of residual/partial disability and then transitions to a total disability claim should the medical conditions persist to a point that one can no longer safely perform their occupational duties.

Other Considerations

There are a myriad of additional factors that can affect the filing of a disability claim and maximizing the value of a disability policy, to include:

  • The applicable definition of disability;
  • Whether you can work in another occupation and still receive your entire disability benefit;
  • Business overhead policies;
  • The sale of a medical practice;
  • The disability insurance carrier; and
  • The nature of any disability insurance policy riders purchased with your policy.

Disability insurance claims for doctors can certainly be complicated, but there are many advantages that doctors have over other people looking to file for disability. As the disability income could represent a portion of, or all of, your financial well-being it is wise to be educated as to your rights under same, and to consult with an attorney well versed in disability insurance policies.

If you are thinking about filing a claim for disability, are on disability, or at any other stage of the disability insurance process and have questions regarding your policies please feel free to contact our office to speak to one of our disability attorneys.


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Disability Company Reviews
(642)
Showing 8 of 642 Reviews
Sedgwick

AT&T Was Great and Sedgwick Horrible

Reviewed by From a great job to a complete nightmare on March 20th 2024   Verified Policyholder | March 2024 date of disability
My Physician recommended that I take some time from a toxic environment after several deaths in my family coupled with AT&T trying to run tenured employees out of the door... read more >
New York Life

Keeps claiming they will not approve claim for pre existing conditions but my illness is not preexisting

Reviewed by M.T. on February 15th 2024   Verified Policyholder | May 2023 date of disability
I have been appealing a claim for LTD for 8 months! New York Life keeps claiming they will not approve claim for pre existing conditions but my illness is not preexisting ... read more >
Reliance Standard

Staff Lie

Reviewed by Tanya on February 12th 2024   Verified Policyholder | August 2021 date of disability
I had my disability cut off the day I was scheduled to find out whether I should have surgery. The claims examiner was aware that I had an appointment on that date and sai... read more >
Reply
Sent on February 12th 2024 by Attorney Gregory Dell

I am sorry to hear about your experience. It’s crazy that Reliance Standard would deny your disability benefits when you are suffering so badly that you need surgery.... read more >

Hartford

Former Hartford employee has had life insurance and accidental death policy's revoked for one late premium payment

Reviewed by Becky H. THOMAS on February 12th 2024   Verified Policyholder | February 2024 date of disability
Dislike how they are constantly interrupting the lives of their disabled EE's whom are entitled to benefit which they paid into out of there pay check every pay period onl... read more >
Reply
Sent on February 12th 2024 by Attorney Gregory Dell

Thank you for your review of Hartford and we appreciate you sharing.  It’s sad they don’t take care of their own employees.

Lincoln Financial

Never received benefits my entire leave - or help with them

Reviewed by Anna on December 19th 2023   Verified Policyholder | November 2023 date of disability
I used my short term disability insurance for maternity leave and started the process beforehand knowing when I would be out (scheduled induction.) It took a little over a... read more >
Sun Life

Unscrupulous Tactics

Reviewed by Misseekayy on December 19th 2023   Verified Policyholder | May 2023 date of disability
Sunlife uses unscrupulous tactics in order to prevent payment of claims. They wait until it is close to the 30 day mark and then they ask for another form of information o... read more >
Sedgwick

Lame

Reviewed by Dennis T. on December 11th 2023   Verified Policyholder | March 2022 date of disability
My experience with Sedgwick and personell is as follows: Unhelpful, unprofessional and an overall unpleasant experience.
Unum

Low payments

Reviewed by Dorothy on November 30th 2023   Verified Policyholder | November 2023 date of disability
I was injured at work. I did house keeping in a hospital. I tore just about everything imaginable in my knee. I was let go from my job, because I was no longer able to do ... read more >
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Seven Surgeries and The Standard Still Denies Long Term Disability Benefits

Our client was employed with the State of Oregon as a Technical Support Representative. She ... Read More >

Sun Life Wrongfully Denies Disability After Paying For 23 Months

We represent a 57 year-old claimant who’s occupation was selling commercial vehicles for ma... Read More >

Transportation Manager with Brain Injury Wins Unum Disability Benefit Appeal

Unum unjustly terminated our client’s long term disability claim after it had approved and... Read More >

Engineer With Depression Wins Prudential LTD Appeal

The claimant is a former Senior Technology Services Engineer for Accolade, Inc. who was force... Read More >

New York Life Approves Disability Benefits for School Teacher With Multiple Sclerosis

Our client, a former elementary school teacher suffering from Multiple Sclerosis, contacted our office after New York Life terminated her clai... Read More >
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Reliance Standard Disability Denial Upheld Due to Claimant's Lack of Strong Medical Record Support

In the case of Amy Wright v. Reliance Standard Life Insurance Company (Reliance), Plaintiff was the vice-president of... Read More >

Unum Wrongfully Terminated Disabled Lawyer’s Disability Claim of Depression and Anxiety Despite Improvement in His Condition

This Unum lawsuit and appeal in federal court is a great victory for all Unum disability claimants. This ca... Read More >

Federal Court Overturns Aetna Denial Of Disability Benefits

In the recent case of Ferrin v. Aetna Life Ins. Co. a federal judge from the Northern District of Illinois determined that Aetna improperly te... Read More >

Court Finds Irregularities in Procter & Gamble Long Term Disability Benefit Denial

In ERISA cases filed in a district court asking for judicial review of a plan administrator's denial of benefits, the court is generally limit... Read More >

Federal Judge Makes Companion Life Insurance Pay Long Term Disability Benefits

Companion Life tried to play games and deny long term disability benefits, but thankfully a New Mexico Federal Judge made them pay disability ... Read More >

NFL Disability Review Board Ignores Evidence of Disability and Appeal Court Reverses Lower Court Decision

In Darren Mickell v. Bert Bell/Pete Rozelle NFL Players Retirement Plan (Plan), Mickell spent nine years in the NFL as a defensive e... Read More >

Judge Agrees that MetLife's Denial of Long Term Disability Benefits was Reasonable

In Anne Ehlert v. Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (MetLife), Ehlert was a consulting pension actuary for pension plans at Towers Watson.... Read More >

Can Standard Insurance Company’s Failure to Raise an Issue be Considered a Waiver?

The case of Jose Chavez v. Standard Insurance Company has quite a history with the United States District Court for the Northern Dis... Read More >

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Preparing a strong disability appeal package is an art that requires you to understand how the courts interpret your disability policy language, ERISA regulations / laws, and how to strategically present evidence in support of your definition of "disability". We encourage you to contact any of our lawyers for a free immediate review of your disability denial.

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Who are Dell Disability Lawyers?

We are disability insurance lawyers that know how to get your short or long term disability benefits paid. As a nationwide law firm we have helped thousands of disability insurance claimants throughout the United States to collect hundreds of millions of dollars of disability insurance benefits from every major disability insurance company.

In more than 98% of our cases, our lawyers have been able to either get our clients paid monthly disability benefits or obtain a one-time lump-sum settlement. Our lawyers have seen it all when it comes to disability insurance claims and we know exactly what it takes for your disability claim to be approved.

We welcome you to contact any of our attorneys for a free immediate review of your disability claim. We also invite you to visit and subscribe to our YouTube channel where we have more than 700 videos and regularly provide tips to help protect your disability benefits.

Who do you help?

Our lawyers help individuals that have either purchased a long term disability insurance policy from an insurance company or obtained short or long term disability insurance coverage as a benefit from their employer. We have helped individuals in almost every type of occupation with monthly disability benefit payments ranging from $1,500 to $50,000.

Our clients include all types of employees ranging from retail associates, sales representatives, government employees, police officers, teachers, janitors, nurses, pilots, truck drivers, financial advisors, doctors, dentists, veterinarians, lawyers, consultants, IT professionals, engineers, professional athletes, business owners, and high level executives.

A strong understanding and presentation of the duties of your occupation is essential for securing disability insurance benefits.

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Yes. We are a national disability insurance law firm that is available to represent you regardless of where you live in the United States. We have partner lawyers in every state and we have filed lawsuits in most federal courts nationwide. Our disability lawyers represent disability claimants at all stages of a claim for disability insurance benefits. There is nothing that our lawyers have not seen in the disability insurance world.

What are your fees?

Since we represent disability insurance claimants at different stages of a disability insurance claim we offer a variety of different fee options. We understand that claimants living on disability insurance benefits have a limited source of income; therefore we always try to work with the claimant to make our attorney fees as affordable as possible.

The three available fee options are a contingency fee agreement (no attorney fee or cost unless we make a recovery), hourly fee or fixed flat rate.

In every case we provide each client with a written fee agreement detailing the terms and conditions. We always offer a free initial phone consultation and we appreciate the opportunity to work with you in obtaining payment of your disability insurance benefits.

Do I have to come to your office to work with your law firm?

No. For purposes of efficiency and to reduce expenses for our clients we have found that 99% of our clients prefer to communicate via phone, email, fax, GoToMeeting sessions, or Skype. If you prefer an initial in-person meeting please let us know. A disability company will never require you to come to their office and similarly we are set up so that we handle your entire claim without the need for you to come to our office.

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When you call us during normal business hours you will immediately speak with a disability attorney. We can be reached at 800-698-9159 or by email. Lawyers and staff must return all client calls same day. Client emails are usually replied to within the same business day and seem to be the preferred and most efficient method of communication for most clients.