Question

Can MetLife cancel a claim if you refuse to update it over the phone?

Asked on November 12th 2013 by Dan
My wife became disabled and received SSDI. MetLife wanted monthly updates even thou the disability is forever. She called in to their nurse every month. Then out of the blue they said over the phone (they never sent anything by mail its over the phone) that her doc. said she was now ok to work? Then they called her doc. And told them she is able and wants to return to work (not possible). All of it lies, they lie to her then call her doc. And lie to them. Then when confronted with their lies, they send her off for a medical exam, the one you go to before you return to work so they can make sure you don’t hurt yourself trying to return to work. Its a 8 hour test, so she brought her doc. Restrictions with her they looked at it and sent her home right there. MetLife never sent them her restrictions? MetLife got mad and called the clinic that does the test and they told them that there test was for recovering people not permanently disabled people. Then MetLife sent her to their doc. (this started on year 6 of disability); it almost ended with an ambulance ride as he told her to lay flat on the table. Due to all the lies MetLife told she told them to never call again. Anything they need or want better be in writing. Now 5 years latter, 11 years on disability they call on the phone and they want updates on her disability. She will not call them. So can they cancel a claim if you refused to update your claim over the phone?

Answer

Answered on November 13th 2013 by Attorney Stephen Jessup

Dan, First and foremost, I am sorry to hear about your wife’s struggles with MetLife. As for MetLife’s ability to terminate the claim – it is not unheard of that you request all communications, to include requests for information, to be put in writing. I would even suggest that you send the request in writing to MetLife so as to create a paper trail. MetLife can obviously terminate a claim for failure to receive information required to make a claims determination, so make sure to cover yourself by creating a paper trail with them.