Before the symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis derailed her life, our client worked at a residential behavioral health facility in Houston, Texas. The work was difficult but rewarding, and our client helped the children who needed it the most.
Without warning, our client began to suffer extreme fatigue and joint pain, which continued to increase over time. When she went to the doctor, she was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis and began treatment. Only when this treatment failed to bring her any relief did our client file for short-term disability (STD) benefits from the Life Insurance Company of North America (CIGNA LINA).
Despite well-documented reports of pain and fatigue and plenty of medical evidence, CIGNA LINA denied our client’s claim.
Rheumatoid Arthritis, Fibromyalgia, and Autoimmune Disorder
Our client is under the care of a rheumatologist and has undergone bloodwork that shows markers of high inflammation. Her ongoing bloodwork provides objective evidence of her autoimmune disorder, and our client’s diagnoses include rheumatoid arthritis, fibromyalgia, and joint pain.
To mitigate the pain and effects of her medical conditions, our client tried oral medication. So far, it has not helped. Her rheumatologist escalated her treatment to injections for moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis, but this has not helped, either.
Additionally, our client suffers from lower back pain, and recent CT scans and MRIs revealed several problems in the lumbar and cervical spine. Once again, medical tests reveal objective evidence of our client’s disability.
In combination with her ongoing pain, headaches, and fatigue, our client suffers from major depressive order and generalized anxiety. Together, her physical and mental health conditions have led to cognitive impairment. All these factors prevent our client from working full-time, creating a disability under her STD policy with CIGNA LINA.
CIGNA LINA Fails to Uphold Its Fiduciary Duty Toward Our Client
Under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), CIGNA LINA must act in its policyholders’ best interests. Instead of acting in our client’s best interests, however, CIGNA LINA failed to fairly and honestly review the medical evidence she provided.
Dabdoub Law Firm simply emphasized the evidence of our client’s co-morbid physical and mental health conditions and highlighted the only reasonable conclusion: our client is and has been disabled, and she qualifies for STD benefits.
With the evidence laid out by our firm, CIGNA LINA was able to fully and fairly review our client’s claim and award her the STD benefits she deserved. Upon our request, the insurance company also awarded retroactive benefits. We are pleased we were able to obtain another timely and favorable decision on our client’s behalf.
Our Lawyers Specialize in Disability Insurance Claims
Because Dabdoub Law Firm has always focused exclusively on disability insurance, our lawyers are experts in legal representation for disability insurance benefits.
That means our disability lawyers have:
- Won several major disability lawsuits that improved the law for disability claimants.
- Experience fighting every major insurance company, including UNUM, Hartford, MetLife, CIGNA LINA, Prudential, and more.
- Successfully represented hundreds of clients and won millions of dollars in disability benefits.
Because federal law applies to most disability insurance claims, we can help clients across the country. Our lawyers can help you anywhere in the United States.
Disability insurance companies have lawyers. You should, too. 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.
Call us at (800) 969-0488 or contact us online for a free consultation with a disability attorney. You will not owe any fees or costs unless we recover compensation on your behalf.
