As an anesthesiologist, your ability to practice medicine depends on precision, vigilance, and flawless decision-making under pressure. Any impairment—physical or cognitive—can make continuing in your specialty unsafe for both you and your patients.
That’s why you invested in Individual Disability Insurance (IDI). But now, your insurer has denied your claim, arguing you can still work or that your condition doesn’t meet their standards.
At Dabdoub Law Firm, we represent anesthesiologists nationwide in IDI appeals and lawsuits—and we know how to win these complex cases.
Why Anesthesiologists Are Particularly Vulnerable to IDI Denials
Anesthesiology is a high-stakes, physically and mentally demanding specialty. Even mild impairments can disqualify you from safely performing the essential duties of your occupation.
Despite this, insurance companies frequently:
- Downplay the severity of your symptoms
- Rely on doctors who never examine you
- Misrepresent your job as “sedentary” or “low intensity”
- Argue that you can work in a general medical or consulting role
Your own-occupation IDI policy should protect you from this. But insurers often misinterpret or ignore that protection in order to deny benefits.
Common Reasons IDI Claims Are Denied for Anesthesiologists
Insurance companies often use one or more of the following justifications:
- You can “still perform some aspects” of your job
- Your condition isn’t “objectively disabling”
- Surveillance shows you walking or driving
- Their doctor says you're not impaired—without ever seeing you
- You can work in another medical specialty or in a modified capacity
- Mental health conditions are subject to a 24-month limitation
These tactics are designed to minimize your disability and delay payment—not to honor your policy.
Conditions That Commonly Affect Anesthesiologists’ Ability to Work
We’ve helped anesthesiologists whose careers were disrupted by:
- Tremors or loss of fine motor control
- Neurological conditions affecting reaction time or coordination
- Spinal or orthopedic injuries making it difficult to stand for long procedures
- Vision impairment or cognitive dysfunction
- Severe anxiety, PTSD, or stress-related burnout
- Long COVID or post-viral syndromes affecting focus, stamina, or breathing
Even if you can technically sit or move around, if you can’t perform your job safely, reliably, and at the level required, your policy should cover you. And we can make sure it does.
You Paid for Protection. Now It’s Time to Enforce It.
IDI policies often include strong own-occupation definitions—meaning your benefits should be paid if you’re unable to perform the substantial and material duties of your specific role as an anesthesiologist, not just any medical job.
But insurers will still try to:
- Reframe your job as “any physician role”
- Use vague “functional capacity” criteria
- Push back against subjective symptoms like fatigue or dizziness
At Dabdoub Law Firm, we don’t let them get away with it.
Why Anesthesiologists Trust Dabdoub Law Firm
We’re not a general practice firm. We focus only on disability insurance law—and we have a long record of success representing physicians in complex IDI disputes.
What sets us apart:
- Nationwide Representation – Licensed to represent clients across the U.S.
- We’ve Taken On Every Major Insurance Company – Including Principal, The Standard, MassMutual, Unum, Guardian, and more
- Federal Court Success – Proven victories in complex litigation
- Litigation Powerhouse for IDI and Own-Occupation Claims – Especially for physicians and specialists like anesthesiologists
- No Fees Unless You Win – We don’t get paid unless you do
What to Do If Your IDI Claim Was Denied
Whether your claim was denied outright, wrongfully terminated, or delayed by endless “reviews,” now is the time to act.
We can:
- Review your denial letter and IDI policy
- Gather medical, occupational, and vocational evidence
- File a strategic appeal or lawsuit
- Push for full benefits—and possibly a lump sum settlement
Talk to a Disability Lawyer for Anesthesiologists Today
If you’ve been taken out of practice due to illness or injury, your policy should protect the career you’ve spent years building. When it doesn’t, we step in. Let us help you fight back against a wrongful IDI denial and secure the financial stability you deserve.
Contact Dabdoub Law Firm today to speak with a lawyer experienced in defending anesthesiologists against unfair disability insurance denials.