IT Professional Long Term Disability Claim Information
The IT field can offer some of the most interesting, cutting-edge, and lucrative careers available in the U.S. economy. But IT professionals are just as vulnerable to disabling illnesses and injuries as other workers, and applying for short or long term disability benefits under these circumstances can be a challenge when compared to those in more physically demanding jobs. Below, learn more about some of the tips IT professionals and software engineers can use when seeking long term disability benefits.
The occupational classifications of Light Duty and Sedentary should not be relied upon to prove eligibility for benefits.
One tactic the long term disability insurance carriers tend to take in disability claims involving IT professionals is to back away from the nuts-and-bolts duties of the job, instead simply focusing on the physical demand of the job. This doesn’t take into account what an IT professional does day in and day out, which can often be very nuanced. Many IT jobs don’t fit neatly into the insurance carrier’s definition of disability.
IT Professionals should always present the cognitive demands of their job.
The cognitive demands imposed on IT professionals can’t be understated. Software engineers and other IT professionals must be able to maintain a laser focus on the task at hand, often while battling multiple interruptions and other “fires” to be put out. Trying to perform this intense work while dealing with chronic pain or other health conditions can sap one’s concentration. But because IT professionals’ jobs are often considered sedentary and physically non-demanding, it can be tough to get the long term disability insurance carrier to understand the extent of a disability’s mental impact.
The disability insurance claims examiner needs to understand the intense occupational demands of an IT Professional.
Insurance carriers tend to evaluate IT professionals’ long term disability claims by referring to the Dictionary of Occupational Titles, which includes just a general description of an IT professional’s duties. This manual was initially drafted well before most IT jobs existed, and its definitions can often be outdated and overly focused on the physical demands of a job. An IT professional’s long term disability claim should thoroughly discuss the unique occupational requirements this job poses and how the disability affects the claimant’s ability to perform these tasks. This can include cognitive testing or other medical evidence supporting an IT professional’s inability to focus due to a pain condition.
“Diagnosis does not equal disability,” which means you must present a complete package to get benefits approved.
As a claimant, it’s your duty to prove that you’re entitled to disability insurance benefits. This means presenting a comprehensive package that will make it all but impossible for the long term disability insurance carrier to deny your disability claim. For IT professionals who have powered through their condition for months or even years, the long term disability insurance carrier will often just ask, “what’s changed?” Your disability package should answer that question and can include non-medical evidence like records showing you’ve had to work longer and longer hours to try to achieve the same output.
You must file your claim timely to protect your long term disability benefits.
Long term disability insurance policies include very strict filing time limits, and missing a filing deadline can prevent you from being able to recover all the benefits you’d otherwise be entitled to. And another complication can arise if you file your disability claim after you’ve been fired from your job – not only will it call the timing of your disability claim into question, but it can also raise issues about your long term disability coverage and whether you’re still eligible to submit a claim under the policy. It’s crucial to take action quickly to preserve your rights.
Denials are most common if you have a change in the definition of “disability.”
Even after you’ve already begun to receive disability benefits, future denials are possible. Most short term disability policies are administered by an employer, and the insurance carrier has little incentive to deny a claim for benefits unless it is especially slim.
But after these short term disability benefits end and long term disability benefits are set to begin, the financial responsibility shifts over to the insurance carrier. This often coincides with a change in the definition of disability from “own occupation” (inability to perform your regular duties) to “any occupation” (inability to perform any job). Proving this can be a bigger hurdle than proving your initial short term disability claim, and claimants should be prepared with the medical documentation to back up their disability under the “any occupation” definition.
It’s also important to be specific when it comes to the initial definition of disability in your policy. If your regular duties include installing computer monitors, traveling to meet clients, or sitting in one spot and staring at a computer monitor for four to six hours per day, your job may not be a “light duty” position, despite your insurance carrier’s claims to the contrary.
No matter where you are in the course of a long term disability claim, the experienced team of attorneys at Dell & Schaefer can help you fight for the disability benefits you’re entitled to. We’ve helped thousands of IT professionals recover disability benefits and are well-versed in each insurance carrier’s processes and procedures. Get in touch with one of our attorneys today to schedule your free consultation.
