Osteoarthritis Disability Insurance Benefits Claim
View Disability Cases Involving Osteoarthritis Disability Insurance Benefits Claim
Disability insurance carriers often challenge a diagnosis of osteoarthritis. How Can Disability Insurance Attorneys Dell & Schaefer Assist You?
As disability attorneys, Dell & Schaefer have represented long term disability claimants that have been unable to work as a result of osteoarthritis. Disability Attorneys Dell & Schaefer have an expansive understanding of the significant restrictions and limitations that a person suffering with osteoarthritis must live with on a daily basis. We have worked closely with top physicians in order to sufficiently satisfy a disability carrier’s threshold of evidence necessary to prove that a client is disabled by suffering osteoarthritis.
Not everyone suffering from osteoarthritis qualifies for long-term disability benefits, therefore the medical records of each client must be reviewed to determine the level of restrictions.
We welcome the opportunity to discuss your long-term disability claim.
You can contact us here ».
What is osteoarthritis?
Osteoarthritis, sometimes called degenerative joint disease or osteoarthrosis, is the most common form of arthritis. Osteoarthritis occurs when cartilage in your joints wears down over time. Osteoarthritis is one of the most frequent causes of physical disability among adults. More than 20 million people in the United States suffer from this disease. Osteoarthritis most commonly affects adults aged 65 and over.
While osteoarthritis can affect any joint in your body, the disorder most commonly affects joints in your hands, hips, knees, neck and lower back.
Osteoarthritis occurs when the cartilage that cushions the ends of bones in your joints deteriorates over time. The smooth surface of the cartilage becomes rough, causing irritation. Eventually, if the cartilage wears down completely, you may be left with bone rubbing on bone, causing the ends of your bones to become damaged and your joints to become painful.
It isn’t clear what causes osteoarthritis in most cases. Researchers suspect that it’s a combination of factors, including obesity, a family history of the disease, bone deformities, joint injuries, hemophilia (bleeding disorders), avascular necrosis (disorders that block blood supply), chronic gout, pseudo gout and rheumatoid arthritis.
How the symptoms of osteoarthritis can affect you
Osteoarthritis symptoms often develop slowly and worsen over time. Signs and symptoms of osteoarthritis include deep aching joint pain, grating sensation of the joint with motion, increased pain during moist/humid weather, swelling, stiffness, limited movement, bone spurs and muscle weakness.
As the disease worsens over time joint pain and stiffness may become severe enough to make getting through the day difficult, if not impossible. There’s no known cure for osteoarthritis, but treatments can help to reduce pain and maintain joint movement.
Non-surgical treatments may include over the counter medications such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) which has been shown to be effective for people with osteoarthritis who have mild to moderate pain. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (Advil, Motrin, Aleve) can relieve pain and reduce inflammation.
Prescription medications such as Tramadol (Ultram), a centrally acting analgesic, can provide effective pain relief with few side effects. Prescription pain pills, such as codeine and propoxyphene (Darvon), may provide relief from more severe osteoarthritis pain.
Injections of corticosteroid medications may relieve joint pain temporarily but is not recommended for long-term treatment of pain.
Viscosupplementation is a procedure in which injections of hyaluronic acid derivatives (Hyalgan, Synvisc), made of rooster combs, offers pain relief by providing cushioning in your knee. Viscosupplementation is currently only approved for knee osteoarthritis.
In joint replacement surgery (arthroplasty), the damaged joint surfaces are removed and replaced with plastic and metal devices called prostheses.
During a procedure called an osteotomy, the surgeon cuts across the bone either above or below the knee to realign the leg. Osteotomy can reduce knee pain by transferring the force of the joint away from the worn-out part of the knee.
Surgeons can also permanently fuse bones in a joint (arthrodesis) to increase stability and reduce pain. The fused joint can then bear weight without pain, but has no flexibility. Arthrodesis may be an alternative for those who can’t undergo joint replacement surgery.
Physical therapy also helps to strengthen the muscles around the joint, increasing your range of motion and reducing pain.
Resources
There are many valuable sources of osteoarthritis information available. You can also access resources over the internet such as:
National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases
American College of Rheumatology
American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons
There are numerous charities dedicated to osteoarthritis research, detection and treatment including:
Arthritis Foundation
Arthritis National research Foundation
Not everyone suffering from osteoarthritis qualifies for long-term disability benefits, therefore the medical records of each client must be reviewed to determine the level of restrictions.
We welcome the opportunity to discuss your long-term disability claim.
You can contact us here ».
Request a Free Consultation
Click here or call 800-682-8331 now!
We respond the same day. We represent disability insurance claimants all over the United States.
- CIGNA faces a lawsuit by American Homecare Supply Respiratory therapist for termination of disability benefits
- CIGNA has three new lawsuits to deal with for unpaid disability benefits
- Life Insurance Company Of North America denies disability benefits and battles claimant for 4.5 years in Federal Court
- 30 year veteran employee of 3M Company sues company and Sedgwick Insurance for disability benefit denial
- UNUM denies disability insurance benefits to disabled nurse with fibromyalgia and osteoarthritis
- UNUM sued by Ohio disability attorney for failure to pay disabiity insurance benefits to ex-nurse restricted to using a cane or motorized scooter to get around
- LINA and CIGNA need to listen to the Federal Courts and stop denying disability insurance claims for people disabled by fibromyalgia
- CIGNA / LINA wrongfully relies upon surveillance video to deny long term disability insurance benefits
- Companion Life wrongfully relies on 22 minutes of video surveillance to deny disability insurance benefits
- Hartford misleads disability insurance claimant’s doctor which results in benefit denial
- $140,000 in long term disability insurance benefits is recovered for disabled teacher
- Court agrees with Unum’s denial of long term disability benefits to man suffering with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis (Part II)
- Unum relies on independent medical exam as basis for denying long-term disability benefits (Part I)
- MetLife approves disability insurance benefits for OB/GYN suffering from multiple orthopedic conditions
- HM Life and Broadspire wrongfully deny disability insurance benefits to a receptionist and 9th Circuit Court of Appeals reverses claim denial
- LINA (CIGNA) denies long-term disability benefits to yellowbook Account Executive
- Disability carrier denies disability benefits to chiropractor after paying for 8 years, yet Attorneys Dell & Schaefer file lawsuit and obtain lump-sum buyout
- Attorney Dell & Schaefer prove dentist is totally disabled and not residually disabled
- What is Complete Disablity?
Disability benefits cases involving Osteoarthritis:
Disability Insurance Info