A man in Cumming, Georgia was in a devastating boating accident in April of 2019, which caused him to suffer severe head trauma. Due to the lingering consequences of his injury, he had to stop working and file for short-term disability benefits through LINA. Only two weeks after getting the requested benefits, they were terminated, prompting Dabdoub Law Firm to get involved. We were able to quickly convince the insurance company that they had made an unreasonable error, and the disability benefits were reinstated.
Details of the Boating Accident Disability Case
After a boating accident in April 2019, our client attempted to keep working once he was released from the hospital. Only a month later, though, he was forced to stop going to work as a sales manager. The lingering health conditions caused by the head trauma he suffered in the boating accident were too severe to reasonably keep working without risking further harm to himself.
LINA initially approved of his short-term disability benefits, beginning them on June 7th, 2019. With the approval, it seemed the insurer acknowledged the severity and consistency of his back pain, walking difficulties, bowel urgency dysfunction, and other health issues related to the head trauma he suffered. However, only two weeks later on June 21st, LINA terminated his benefits, providing very little information as to why in the process.
Recognizing that LINA was not going to act fairly in the procedures now before him, he turned to Dabdoub Law Firm for legal assistance. While a sudden and unexplained termination of disability benefits might seem shocking to most people, it is, unfortunately, something we see commonly in our line of work as some of the most respected disability attorneys in the nation. The abrupt breaking of benefits indicated that LINA had either ignored its fiduciary duty to fairly evaluate our client's claim or that its case evaluators simply did not understand the severity of his symptoms.
We compiled all of his relevant medical records and assessments from his treating physicians to clearly explain his conditions and how they caused significant and persistent disabilities. Knowing that the responding insurance representative might not be able to sort through the records and come to a conclusion on their own, we were careful to present the facts in a clear, concise way that could be easily understood.
To take the case further and eliminate more potential confusion, we also outlined the legal principles behind our argument, including how ERISA law defines an insurance company’s fiduciary duty to the insured. Presented with so much evidence of our client’s disability and their own wrongdoing, LINA conceded, reinstated our client’s benefits, and provided backpay for the gap in coverage, as we demanded in our challenge letter.
Disability Insurance Companies Have Lawyers – Shouldn’t You?
Because Dabdoub Law Firm was created to focus on disability insurance, we have developed an expertise in this complex area of the law.
Our expertise in long-term disability claims means our clients have the backing attorneys who:
- Are experts in disability claims;
- Fought all major disability insurance companies and know their tactics;
- Earned a track record of success;
- Won major disability lawsuits that created good law; and
- Recovered millions of dollars in disability benefits.
All our lawyers commit every day of their legal career to helping people get disability benefits from UNUM, MetLife, Prudential, Northwestern Mutual, Hartford, CIGNA, and other insurers. Because federal law applies to most disability insurance claims, we do not have to be located in your state to help. We help clients nationwide.
Call to get experienced disability lawyers on your side for:
- Submitting a disability insurance claim;
- Appealing a long-term disability denial;
- Negotiating a lump-sum settlement; or
- Filing a lawsuit against your disability insurance company.
Call (800) 969-0488 for a free consultation with a disability attorney.
