A Miami woman with comorbid conditions that amounted to chronic disability had to quit a job she loved – working as a manager for Sky Chefs – because she could no longer continue any degree of work without severe pain. Her long-term disability (LTD) insurance provider, CIGNA, initially acknowledged the extent of her disability, granting her the benefits she was owed. Yet two years later, the insurance company terminated her benefits, inferring she had been “miraculously cured” despite no medical evidence showing any improvement in her conditions. Dabdoub Law Firm challenged the denial and succeeded in getting her LTD benefits reinstated.
Details of the “Miraculously Cured” Client
Our client was diagnosed by her medical providers and several medical specialists as having multiple comorbid conditions, including but not limited to chronic pain, chronic fatigue and weakness, and cognitive impairments caused by her other symptoms. She attempted to continue her work because she loved her job, but each day gradually became more difficult than the last. In April 2017, she was given LTD benefits by CIGNA after the insurer acknowledged that she could not complete full-time work, even in a sedentary capacity.
Only two years later in July 2019, though, CIGNA terminated her benefits early, claiming she no longer met the requirements to receive LTD benefits. Since there were no statements from her medical providers that said her conditions had improved, the insurance company effectively inferred she had a “miraculous recovery.” Quite oppositely and reality, though, her doctors only noted the worsening of her conditions.
To challenge CIGNA’s wrongful early termination of our client’s LTD benefits, Dabdoub Law Firm focused on the medical opinions and records of her treating physicians.
Consistently among multiple of her physicians, they noted that she:
- Could not sit or stand for more than 2 hours in a day
- Could not lift 10 pounds of weight or more
- Could only complete 75% of an average day’s work
- Could require at least four additional days off work each month
Furthermore, the Social Security Administration even concluded that our client could not conduct any full-time work in any capacity due to the severity of her disabilities. Strangely, CIGNA had apparently reached a conclusion opposite that of everyone else.
The only evidence CIGNA had presented in their argument was 30 hours of surveillance across 3 days, which showed our client in her home, going to the doctor, conducting basic errands, and eating a meal at a restaurant. Apparently, these simple tasks showed an improvement in her condition to CIGNA, even though she and her doctors had never claimed she could not complete daily tasks now and then.
When faced with our thorough counterpoint and challenge, CIGNA thankfully backed down. Our client is once again receiving the LTD benefits she needs and deserves.
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, our clients get the benefit of:
- Having an attorney who is an expert in long term disability claims;
- Having an attorney who has experience with every major disability insurance company;
- 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. That means we can represent you 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.
