PROVEN LAWSUIT RESULTS

Machine Operator - Crystal Falls, MI

Neuropathy, Diabetes, Lower Back Pain

“A machine operator from Michigan began experiencing numbness in his hands and lower back pain. His job required feeding raw materials through heavy machinery. Eventually his condition became too severe and he was forced to stop work. He was initially approved through Sun Life for long-term disability benefits, but after receiving benefits for almost two years, Sun Life sent him a letter indicating that he no longer fit their definition of disabled.

Scared that his monthly income was in jeopardy, he contacted Fields Disability for help. The attorneys at Fields Disability closely reviewed the claim file from Sun Life and found two key errors. First, Sun Life’s own expert indicated that no occupations could be identified that our client could perform. Second, Sun Life emphasized the fact that our client’s wife owned and operated a family restaurant as evidence that our client could work. Fields Disability attorneys sent a strong appeal to Sun Life which highlighted these errors, and ultimately our client had his benefits reinstated. Our client was relieved to have his monthly income back, and happy to move on with his life.”

Senior Finance Manager - Parsippany, NJ

Anxiety, Depression, Lupus, Heart Conditions, Back Conditions, Fatigue, Migraines, Headaches

“Our client was a 48-year old individual who worked as a Senior Finance Manager until she was no longer able to work due to Anxiety, Depression, Lupus, Heart Conditions, Back Conditions, Fatigue, and Migraines/Headaches. The employer provided both short-term and long-term disability policies, which our client elected to receive coverage under both policies. When our client became eligible for short-term disability benefits from the policy’s carrier, Lincoln Financial Group, our client applied for coverage and benefits. Our client was initially approved for short-term benefits by Lincoln Financial Group and received weekly benefits for almost five months.

However, Lincoln Financial Group terminated our client’s short-term disability benefits, indicating no benefits were payable because they concluded our client did not meet the Definition of Disabled any longer. Lincoln Financial Group also denied our client’s application for long-term disability benefits indicating the same reasons for terminating his short-term disability benefits. Our client allegedly did not meet the Definition of Disabled. Upset with the illogical decision from Lincoln Financial Group to terminate short-term benefits, and outright deny long-term disability benefits, she contacted Fields Disability for legal representation and to submit an appeal of both adverse decisions.

The attorneys at Fields Disability were able to pull together all of our client’s medical records, generated reports from our client’s physicians, and sent our client to a neurophysiological functional capacity evaluation, which generated a report of cognitive functional abilities. Equipped with a comprehensive appeal and substantial favorable medical records, the attorneys at Fields Disability submitted an appeal for our client. Lincoln Financial Group issued a new decision and overturned its prior termination of short-term disability benefits, and its prior denial of long-term disability benefits, all due to the appeal Fields Disability submitted. Lincoln Financial Group proceeded to issue a backpay check for the months that it failed to pay our client previously on both the short-term and long-term policies.

Associate in Operational Finance - Cicero, NY

Alcoholism

“A man who worked in as an Operational Finance Associate for a large corporation suffered from severe and debilitating alcoholism. As a result, he was unable to continue to perform his job. His long-term disability insurer, The Hartford, denied his claim alleging that there was no evidence to support that his alcoholism was impairing.

Unaware how to fight the insurance company, he found the attorneys at Fields Disability. His attorney at Fields went right to work. He reviewed all of the records the insurance company had and requested updated records to provide. He also obtained a report from his treating psychiatrist which highlighted that the client could not work with his condition. On appeal, the insurance company reversed their decision and reinstated the payment of monthly benefits. The client was ecstatic to hear that he was going to have the income he needed to get by while he worked on getting healthy once again.”

Nurse Practitioner - Springfield, MO

Fibromyalgia, Bilateral Knee Pain, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

“Prior to developing chronic pain syndrome, fibromyalgia, and degenerative arthritis in her knees, our client was a happy and healthy Nurse Practitioner who had served as an Air Force Officer for twenty years. She enjoyed hiking, nature, travel, cooking, theater, and dance. However, as her health difficulties progressed, she was unable to continue to provide the excellent standard of care her patients were accustomed to. Moreover, she began to worry about the safety of her patients given her profound fatigue, malaise, chronic pain, and tearfulness. She left work at the advice of her treating doctors and submitted a claim to Lincoln Financial, her long-term disability insurance company. Lincoln Financial initially approved benefits and paid our client for a little over a year. However, it denied benefits based on the medical review of an independent doctor.

Our client found Fields Disability after searching for help online. Our attorneys secured the claim file from the insurer and determined the medical evidence that was needed to overturn the denial. After securing reports from our client’s doctors, the appeal was submitted for the insurer’s review. Shortly thereafter, the insurer reinstated the claim and paid our client her benefits.”

Account Manager - West Valley City, UT

Chronic Pain, Degenerative Disc Disease, Spinal Stenosis, Fibromyalgia, Anxiety, Major Depressive Disorder

“Our client was a 43-year old individual who worked as an Account Manager before going out of work due to our client’s Chronic Pain, Degenerative Disc Disease, Spinal Stenosis, Fibromyalgia, Anxiety, and Major Depressive Disorder. The employer provided a long-term disability policy, which our client elected to receive coverage under. When our client became eligible for long-term disability benefits from the policy’s carrier, Reliance Standard Life Insurance Company, our client applied for coverage and benefits and was initially approved for benefits and received monthly benefits for almost one year.

However, Reliance Standard terminated our client’s long-term disability benefits, indicating no benefits were payable because Reliance Standard concluded our client did not meet the definition of Totally Disabled. Reliance Standard based the decision to terminate benefits on our client’s Facebook page and found posts regarding a 4-day vacation with a rental car and translated this to mean that our client could return to work.

Upset with the arbitrary decision from Reliance Standard to terminate benefits, she contacted Fields Disability for legal representation and to submit an appeal of this adverse decision. The attorneys at Fields Disability were able to pull together comprehensive medical records, reports, and a timeline for this alleged vacation, and submitted an appeal for our client. In relative short order, Reliance Standard issued a new decision and overturned its prior denial of long-term disability benefits due to the appeal Fields Disability submitted. Reliance Standard proceed to issue a backpay check for the months that it failed to pay our client previously.”