New Jersey Disability Lawyer Blog

Sometimes our clients who are physicians diagnose and self-treat their conditions and ask us whether they can establish their disability claim based on their own assessment. It stands to reason that an insurance company asked to pay benefits will not rely solely on the word of the claimant. In fact, most policies indicate not only…

We commonly work with clients who, aside from suffering from the physical impacts of cancer, are unable to re-engage in their occupation due to long lasting cognitive effects of chemotherapy and other medication treatment. We are particularly keen on helping women who have endured the impacts of breast cancer, but experience deficits in their memory,…

Be careful in the words used to describe your inability to continue working- insurers will reject a claim based on “retiring” if not clearly caused by a medical disability.

A common thread in disability claims is how active the individual is after filing their claim. Insurance companies require claimants to complete detailed forms describing their activities, asking them how they spend their day from morning to evening, what computer systems they use, even how often they watch TV. It is important to understand that…

In order to obtain private disability benefits, you must be able to show that you are unable to perform the duties of your occupation due to symptoms of a medical condition. An important component of your claim is determining whether your condition is related to an injury or sickness. Many private individual policies provide for…

The denial of a disability claim can be incredibly frustrating and confusing for claimants. Insurers typically provide only vague reasoning for the decision, leaving claimants in the dark to figure out why they were denied and what steps they should take to appeal the decision. They are advised of the deadline and procedure for appealing…

Insurance companies routinely hire physicians to perform a medical records review and use that review to decide whether a claimant qualifies for disability benefits. The use of reviewing physicians is not always problematic, as they may support the claim. A fair and thorough review can also provide valuable insight and identify evidence that can be…

If you or someone you love suffers from Multiple Sclerosis (MS), you already know how debilitating this progressive and incurable illness can be. Nearly one million people in the United States currently live with MS. In honor of MS awareness month, we highlight this all-too common illness and share tips and resources for succeeding in…

Disability Insurer Unum is required to pay lifetime benefits to Endodontist with repetitive stress injuries to her hands

We are often asked by our disabled clients if they must stop all cease or limit their daily activities in order to prove they are unable to work in their occupation. The answer is no. Insurers do poke around, asking claimants on “Activities of Daily Living” forms questions such as how far they can travel,…