Lincoln Financial

LFG cherry picks whatever information benefits their needs to deny my claim

Reviewed by Norman on November 15th 2014   Verified Policyholder
I have been denied LTD by LFG even though I have been seen every month for the last three years by a doctor who states I cannot work and I was approved by SSD the first time I applied because I have short term memory loss as a result of chemotherapy and radiation from head and neck cancer and hypoxia due to three separate cases of double pneumonia in which I was hospitalized an average of seven to nine days each time. I was declared unable to take care of my financial or physical or medicinal daily responsibilities. I also developed a blood clot from my hip to my ankle which is still unresolved. LFG cherry picks whatever information benefits their needs to deny my claim. If the doctor states that I am improved from the pneumonia they use this to say that I am able to work when in actuality it means I am improving from the severe illness and am able to work when in fact she states each time that I am still ill and unable to work. They stated they could not accept her word for it. Then I send them records from other physicians especially my psych doctors that state I have major depressive disorder, cognitive disorder and anxiety and they had a doctor review my records and state that while I have had extensive psychiatric treatment he could review these as they are outside the scope of his expertise. I have demanded from them an IME which I know are biased towards the company but I have extensive records regarding my loss of teeth due to radiation which gives me daily problems in chewing, eating and loss of weight. I also have a history of atrial fibrillation which was exacerbated by my double pneumonia, DVT of the right leg, use of oxygen on a daily basis, ground glass opacity iews of both lungs, major depressive disorder, chronic back pain due to herniated discs, short term memory loss due to several bouts of severe hypoxia, double pneumonia four times this year alone, insomnia and neck spasms due to denture implants. Their decision is that I can work six hours out of an eight hour day, no lifting over ten pounds and possible lifting of small objects. My job that I was fired from while on STD was for General Motors Technical Assistance helping mechanics fix cars over the phone. My first problem was getting into a computer that required ten different passwords to be changed every 30 days and I haven’t the short term memory to remember these and they cannot be written down. It’s disgusting that LFG can take only the good part of a dr visit and then tell me that the dr was not available to speak to and they didn’t answer their phones and the Dr did not try to call back when a voicemail was left. I spoke to my dr and I don’t want to call anyone a liar, but if the shoe fits. She tried to call them several times with no answer and no return call. I would continue to appeal but they have given me until November 17, 2014 and they are going to try to close mY case which is why I requested, in writing, an IME. I will be ready for the IME with my over 50 pages of medical records. If you have any advice at this point I would appreciate it with gratitude.
Reply
Sent on November 15th 2014 by Attorney Stephen Jessup

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