Our client, an engineer from Palm Harbor, Florida, suffers from chronic back pain, which makes his work difficult. He is often required to carry up to 80 pounds worth of equipment, and all of his coworkers have noticed how he strains throughout the day. After his back “popped” in 2016, he filed for short-term disability benefits through Cigna.
The insurer then gave him a runaround, telling him several times that his claim was under review and never giving him further information. To his surprise, the claim was eventually terminated early, only briefly after he began collecting promised benefits. Dabdoub Law Firm was able to step in, challenge Cigna and the way it handled his claim, and get his disability benefits reinstated.
Details of the Back “Pop” Case
Our client works for Honeywell as an engineering technician. The physical demands of the job left him often feeling aches and pains. However, it was not until 2016, when he was taken to the emergency for sudden and severe back pain, did he decide he needed disability benefits.
Throughout the next few years, he struggled to work through the pain and numbness caused by his back complications. He would often stop suddenly, frozen in place due to an intense spike of pain that caused any further motion to hurt. An MRI conducted in 2019 revealed multiple of his annular discs were bulging, which caused his back pain, motion problems, and other disabling conditions.
One of the medical professionals who have seen to our client recommends he does not sit or stand for more than 3 hours a day, does not walk for more than 2 hours a day, and does not try to lift anything heavier than 10 pounds. In other words, he is restricted to bedrest for most of this day to alleviate his back conditions.
Upon receiving his benefits filing, Cigna first told him he had been approved in February 2017 to March 2019, with the benefits later being extended to April 2019. Once the deadline was reached, though, our client and his claim were put “on hold” by Cigna. Across the next few months, he attempted to contact Cigna to learn if his benefits would be extended, or if he could file for long-term disability benefits. Rather than give him direct answers, he was repeatedly told by insurance representatives that his case was pending further review.
It was not until June 2019 that he was told his benefits had been terminated, despite Cigna never receiving any information that would suggest his conditions were improving. The insurer tried to claim he had been noncooperative with treatments because he did not want to take a recommend – not necessary – epidural injection that only had a slight chance of helping mask his pain, rather than cure it.
When Dabdoub Law Firm came on board to help our client, we immediately took a closer look at his medical records and interactions with Cigna. It is clear that our client is disabled, and that he might be for many years to come. It was also clear that Cigna had evaded his inquiries in an attempt to dodge their responsibility and his disability insurance provider. Through a well-formulated appeal, we were able to have his short-term disability benefits reinstated.
Lawyers with Expertise in Disability Insurance Claims
Dabdoub Law Firm has always focused only on disability insurance law.
Because we specialize in long term disability cases, our clients get the benefit of:
- Having an attorney who is a leader in long term disability claims;
- Having an attorney who has experience with every major disability insurance company; and
- Being backed by a law firm that has a proven track record of winning tough disability lawsuits.
Call Dabdoub Law Firm to get experienced disability lawyers on your side.
We can help with:
- 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.
We represent clients nationwide with disability claims governed by federal law, even if we are not located in your state.
Call (800) 969-0488 to speak with an experienced disability attorney. Pay no fees or costs unless you get paid.
