What to Know:
- A dedicated financial professional in Florida was forced to stop working due to disabling migraines and related symptoms.
- MetLife initially approved her claim and paid long-term disability (LTD) benefits for 20 months, then abruptly terminated her benefits without proof of improvement.
- Treating physicians, psychiatric providers, and a board-certified neurologist all agree she remains totally disabled.
- Her appeal includes overwhelming medical evidence and a detailed rebuttal of MetLife’s flawed decision.
A Career Derailed by Chronic, Debilitating Migraines
Before her illness, this young professional thrived in a demanding finance role at a major U.S. bank in Florida. As a Trade Control Analyst, her job required consistent focus, detailed work, and rapid decision-making, all of which became impossible when she developed chronic, debilitating migraines.
By December 2022, her symptoms forced her to stop working entirely. MetLife initially agreed she was disabled and paid LTD benefits. But in February 2025, with no evidence of improvement, MetLife abruptly terminated her claim.
Her condition had not changed. In fact, it had worsened.
Migraines Render Her Unable to Perform Even Sedentary Work
This claimant now experiences 2–3 migraine attacks per week, each lasting hours or days. Her symptoms include:
- Severe head pain
- Nausea and vomiting
- Visual disturbances and photophobia
- Sensitivity to sound and light
- Cognitive fatigue and dizziness
Each episode leaves her incapacitated. She must retreat to a dark, quiet room to seek relief. Even minor stress or screen exposure can trigger a new attack.
These symptoms make any kind of consistent employment impossible.
Yet MetLife terminated her benefits based on a paper review, ignoring firsthand medical evaluations and the realities of her condition.
Treating Neurologist Confirms Total Disability
A medical questionnaire from her neurologist, who has treated her for years, makes it clear:
- Migraines and associated pain occur approximately 16 days per month
- She cannot sit or stand for more than 30 minutes
- She must rest off her feet throughout the day
- Her symptoms will interfere with attention and concentration
- She would need frequent unscheduled breaks in any workday
- She can sit or stand/walk for less than 2 hours per day total
This specialist unequivocally concludes that she is unable to perform sedentary work on a full- or part-time basis.
Psychiatric and Acupuncture Providers Echo Disability Findings
Letters from other treating providers support the neurologist’s conclusions:
- Psychiatric nurse practitioner confirms her migraines “substantially impair her ability to function consistently, particularly in occupational settings.”
- Acupuncturist reports “little to no improvement” and ongoing symptoms that severely impact her daily life.
The consistency of these reports proves that the claimant's condition has not improved, and that MetLife ignored clear, continuing medical evidence.
Independent Neurologist Agrees: Permanently and Totally Disabled
A board-certified neurologist conducted a peer review of her case and strongly disagreed with MetLife’s decision. He concluded:
“Based on the frequency and severity of her migraines, [she] is permanently and totally disabled... She would not be capable of reliably and consistently working in any occupation on a full-time basis.”
He further criticized MetLife’s internal reviewers for failing to acknowledge recent records and clinical findings that supported her continued disability.
Fiduciary Breach Under ERISA
As the LTD plan administrator, MetLife has a fiduciary duty to act in the best interest of claimants. Under ERISA, the company must:
- Provide a full and fair review of all submitted evidence
- Consider treating provider opinions with appropriate weight
- Avoid arbitrary decisions or reliance on flawed internal reviews
Instead, MetLife reversed its decision without justification, after paying benefits for nearly two years, and failed to acknowledge the overwhelming medical support in her favor.
This reversal is not supported by any evidence of recovery. It is a clear violation of ERISA fiduciary standards.
Dabdoub Law Firm: Experts in Migraine Disability Claims
This case highlights how insurers like MetLife may terminate valid claims for financial reasons, even when there is no medical justification. We have successfully handled long term disability cases due to migraines at the initial claim stage, on appeal, and in federal court.
Dabdoub Law Firm focuses exclusively on disability insurance claims and:
- Handles cases nationwide, in all 50 states
- Has gone up against every major insurance company and won
- Has a proven record of success in federal court
- Is a litigation powerhouse for complex disability cases
If your long-term disability claim has been wrongfully denied, we can help you fight back.
Call (800) 969-0488 or contact us online to speak with an experienced disability attorney. Pay no fees or costs unless you get paid.