Hartford approves long-term disability benefits for teaching assistant with multiple sclerosis
Our client, a teaching assistant with Multiple Sclerosis, was denied benefits under her long-term disability policy from Hartford provided by her employer, the Broward County Florida School Board. Following her denial of benefits, our client retained Dell Disability Lawyers to appeal the denial of her benefits. Her policy stated that she would qualify for long-term disability benefits if she was “continuously unable to perform the material and substantial duties” of her regular occupation.
Our client’s job duties, as part of working with grade school-age special education children, required that she be able to, among other duties:
- Lift up to 40 lbs.
- Bend, stretch, and stoop repeatedly
- Climb up and down stairs
- Push emergency evacuation buckets with up to 150 lbs. of weight
- Have the mobility to ensure the safety of the children
- Work with the children on the floor
- Perform light cleaning
- Supervise the classroom in the absence of the lead teacher
- Change diapers
- Assist with toilet training
- Help children establish good habits of personal hygiene
Given our client’s condition and her need to use a walker to move about, Dell Disability Lawyers submitted an extensive appeal and requested that Hartford reverse its decision to deny her long-term disability benefits. Following the submission of our appeal and the threat of a lawsuit being filed, Hartford reversed their denial and agreed to pay our client nearly two and a half years’ worth of back benefits and place her on claim moving forward. Dell Disability Lawyers will continue to manage her claim and ensure that her benefits continue uninterrupted.
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Hartford Reviews
(660)
Policy Holder Rating
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3
1%
2
50%
1
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Timely Payments
1.9out of 5
Handling Claim
1.9out of 5
Customer Service
1.8out of 5
Dependable
1.8out of 5
Value
1.9out of 5
Showing 8 of 660 Reviews
Hartford
Truly Horrible and Immoral Company with No Customer Service
My experiences with Hartford have been nothing short of cruel. They started off by claiming that having Glioblastoma, which has an expected life span of about fifteen mont... read more >
Hartford
Sent my Direct Deposit to a Strangers Bank Acct
I went on short term disability and The Hartford put my direct deposit into someone else’s bank account. Somehow they messed up a number or two and they are refusing to ... read more >
Hartford
Former Hartford employee has had life insurance and accidental death policy's revoked for one late premium payment
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 >
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Hartford
Bad Faith
They kept asking my doctor for the same information that they did not need to process my claim. He kept sending in the same information, and they kept asking for it. My do... read more >
Hartford
Denied by Hartford after 20 years of Payments
Hello,I am a Multiple Sclerosis patient. I also have Lymph-edema, Asthma, Blood-clot problems, Bi-Polar 1 Depression, and Head & Neck Injuries. And now, due to MS, Spast... read more >
Hartford
This company is a scam!
The Hartford does not pay claims. The Hartford only collects premiums. The Hartford doesn’t care if you are terminally ill. I’ve been employed at my employer since 201... read more >
Hartford
Hartford Stopped Payments
Worst company ever. Their analysts will go against your treating provider every single time. Horrible experience, just horrible.
Answered Questions by Our Lawyers
(75)
Showing 8 of 75 Answered Questions
Q: Can ltd offset soc. sec. benefits for a child born after collecting ltd benefits for over two years prior to the child's birth?
A: Employer provided disability policies almost always include language allowing for the offset of a benefit due ... Read More >
Q: Can the Hartford collect short term disability payments that they say were due to their own mistakes?
A: Technically, Hartford has the right to request repayment even though it was due to their mistake. Often, they ... Read More >
Q: Are insurance companies allowed to deny payment of short term disability benefits because I am collecting social security retirement benefits disability?
A: Tom, it is not unusual for a disability insurance policy to have language that deducts social security payment... Read More >
Q: Does Hartford reduce their monthly LTD payments after 30 months?
A: Usually there's a change in definition after 24 months. The fee reduction would come from any offsets due to s... Read More >
Q: Can The Hartford offset my LTD on my VA disability compensation or back pay?
A: Tim, the Policy will define what other sources of income can offset or reduce your monthly benefit. Not all Po... Read More >
Q: Can Hartford lower my long term disability check if I take my money out of my Vanguard account?
A: Thank you for your question. Hartford may be able to reduce your monthly benefits and seek an overpayment if y... Read More >
Q: Relocation
A: Thanh:Moving within the USA should not impact your claim. You must make sure that you continue with your m... Read More >
Q: Is it possible to write me a strict authorization form for The Hartford?
A: It would be best for you to tell Hartford to send you a release for any specific items that they want. You can... Read More >
Helpful Videos
(910)
Showing 12 of 910 Videos
Disability Benefit Tips
(331)
Showing 8 of 331 Benefit Tips
Does Hartford Pay Disability Insurance Claims?
At Dell & Schaefer, we get questions about Hartford long term disability policies on nearly a daily basis. As one of the biggest names in insurance, Hartford is a well-oiled machine when it comes to processing (and, sometimes, denying) disability claims. Learn more about what it's like to appeal Hartford's denial of your claim for long term disabili... Read More >
How Does Hartford Long Term Disability Work?
The most common questions for a disability attorney involve understanding how disability coverage actually works. When it comes to The Hartford long-term disability insurance policies in particular, there are a lot of searches for that type of information. It’s a broad question, but one that we’re well-equipped to answer at disability insurance law firm Dell... Read More >
What Happens If My Hartford Short Term Disability Claim is Denied?
Understand your rights once your Hartford short term disability income claim has been denied. In this featured article and video gain insights into:Hartford DeadlinesAdministrative Appeal - What Is It?Administrative Appeal ProcessBenefits of Hiring A Disability Insurance AttorneyGREGORY DELL: Hi. I'm attorney Greg Dell, here with Stephen. A... Read More >
How Long Does a Hartford Short Term or Long Term Disability Claim Last?
Hartford disability income policy holders expect Hartford to pay their Short Term & Long-Term disability insurance benefits, if continuously disabled, until the policy holder’s social security retirement age. That isn’t always the case. In this video and article learn about:What is the length of your elimination period and the length of your be... Read More >
If I Convert my Former Employee Disability Policy to a Private Policy Does ERISA Govern?
Many employer welfare benefit plans offer employees who quit their employment the option of converting their disability insurance plan to a private plan. When a claim for disability benefits is filed, there may be a dispute over whether the conversion plan is governed by ERISA. If so, then ERISA preempts any state law claims a plaintiff may have. If not, the conversion policy is a private&n... Read More >
Is the Hartford Disability Purchase of Aetna Bad for Aetna LTD Policy Holders?
In October 2017 Hartford Insurance company agreed to purchase the disability and life insurance division of Aetna insurance company for 1.45 billion dollars.In this video nationwide long term disability insurance attorneys Gregory Dell and Stephen Jessup discuss what impact they believe this sale will have on Aetna long term disability policy holders.Con... Read More >
Hartford Disability Claim Problems
Hartford is requesting long term disability claimants to provide additional documentation from their attending physicians and additional claimant statements more often than usual. Additional documentation is typically requested as a claimant nears 24 months of payments and there is a change in the definition from the own occupation to the any occupation.In t... Read More >
How Can I Protect Myself At A Hartford IME Exam?
In this video, disability insurance attorneys Rachel Alters and Cesar Gavidia discuss what you can expect at an IME exam requested by The Hartford disability insurance company. The information they discuss is applicable to an IME exam requested by most disability insurance companies.You need to take extreme precautions if your have been requested to attend o... Read More >
Dell Disability Cases
(375)
Showing 8 of 375 Dell Disability Cases
Nurse With Knee and Back Disorder Wins Hartford Disability Appeal
We represent a General Duty Nurse who was denied long term disability benefits as Hartford improperly determined that she was able to work her medium duty job on a full time basis. The medical and occupational documentation submitted with her appeal that we filed on her behalf, as well as the documentation and evidence previously submitted by her physicians, cle... Read More >
Executive Director with Meniere's Denied Long Term Disability Insurance Benefits By Hartford
Our client, came to us when he was unjustly denied his claim for LTD benefits by Aetna, now Hartford, asserting that his medical records did not demonstrate “a consistent inability to perform [his] sedentary occupation”. Aetna abused its discretion in reaching this determination as its decision was not only wrong but arbitrary and capricious and was not based on a fu... Read More >
A Hartford Disability Benefit Lawsuit Victory for Truist Banker with Lupus
Our client found us after she was denied continued disability insurance benefits by the Hartford. Unfortunately, by the time she found us, she had already filed an appeal, which was unfortunately denied. This left her with a final avenue of filing an ERISA lawsuit in Federal Court, a task we never shy away from.Her story was an interesting one. In fact, h... Read More >
Hartford Denies Disability Benefits To Home Depot Employee 3 Weeks Before Change of Disability Definition
Our client was a former in-store merchandising associate responsible for the movement of merchandise, display set up, signage installation, inventory and merchandising strategies who went out on disability due to mental health conditions as well as physical medical conditions related to chronic back pain, SI joint pain and hip pain that potentially required repl... Read More >
Hartford Denies Long Term Disability Benefits After Paying for 22 Years
It is crazy that Hartford denied long term disability benefits to our client after paying for 22 years. Client initially went out on disability on April 15, 1999, due to a diagnosis of HIV/Aids, chronic hepatitis B, lipodystrophy, wasting syndrome, neuropathy/pain and fatigue. His claim was with Aetna, but after Hartford purchased Aetna, Hartford began an u... Read More >
Hartford Overturns Denial of Disability Benefits on Appeal
Our client, a former clerk at a coal mine with severe lumbar back problems first, contacted our office and spoke with Attorney Stephen Jessup in 2015 after Hartford denied his claim for long term disability benefits following short term disability. Similar to the vast majority of people with employer provided disability insurance with Hartford, our client’s short term disability policy was ultimately payable... Read More >
Hartford Approves Disability Claim After Appeal Deadline
Prior to filing for disability our client worked as a registered nurse in a hospital setting, suffering from multiple chronic medical conditions that resulted in ever worsening pain throughout her back, neck and extremities. When her conditions began to limit her ability to safely and effectively perform her occupational duties she, on her own, filed a claim for disability benefits under her employer’s group... Read More >
Hartford overturned its previous denial of LTD benefits for Illinois Account Representative
Our client, Mr. K, formerly worked as an Account Representative for an international brokerage firm. In May 2017 a number of medical issues, including the debilitating effects of chronic congestive heart failure, arteriosclerotic heart disease of native coronary artery, chest pain forced Mr. K to stop working and submit his claim for disability benefits first under his employer’s short-term disability (STD) ... Read More >
Disability Lawsuit Stories
(765)
Reviews from Our Clients
