Question

Should I contact you before submitting my application for a private disability benefit?

Asked on July 10th 2020 by Dentist
I am preparing to submit a claim to the Standard. I have cervical degenerative disc disease w/radiculopathy. I am a dentist w/own occ coverage. As long as I don’t do dentistry, I am able to live moderately comfortable, but slowly getting worse. Work causes pain and creates the potential for causing a patient harm. I prefer not to have surgery until I can’t bear daily life any longer, but need to stop practicing soon. I didn’t actually buy Standard insurance. I bought BOE insurance, regular long-term disability insurance and own occ long-term disability insurance through Minnesota Life, which sold my policy to the Standard. Should I contact you before submitting a claim? I have an MRI and xrays, and soon an EMG that prove that I have the issues that would cause pain and limitations, but can’t prove subjective symptoms.

Answer

Answered on July 10th 2020 by Attorney Steven Dell

It is in your best interest to contact us as early as possible if you think you are going to need to file a long-term disability claim. I have started representing some dentists two years before they actually filed their disability benefit claim. The more planning you can do prior to filing a long term disability claim, the better chance you will have of getting your application for benefits approved. Most of our clients are dealing with chronic medical issues such as yours and they have attempted to continue working with the diagnosis for years. We must establish a correlation between your medical treatment and a reduction in your work duties so that we can prove you are disabled. The first step in pursuing a long term disability claim is to arrange a free review of your long term disability policy(s) and then we can discuss a plan of attack and your chances of being approved.