Our client worked as an environmental health and safety manager in Ladson, South Carolina – until she was taken to the emergency room for the sudden onset of fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, vertigo, muscle pain, decreased appetite, and chills.
In the hospital, our client tested positive for both COVID-19 and influenza B. She was placed on oxygen and treated with steroids and anti-viral therapies. Upon discharge, doctors diagnosed her with pneumonia, hypoxia, acute respiratory failure, and severe cough.
A few months after her hospitalization, our client tried to honor her commitments and return to work. She struggled through 3 days but could no longer keep up with the demands of her occupation and returned to the emergency room with symptoms.
She also applied for short-term disability benefits, and United of Omaha Life Insurance Company (United) approved her claim. After a few more months, however, United terminated her short-term disability benefits, and our client asked Dabdoub Law Firm for help.
Post-COVID Diagnoses
Still suffering from symptoms months after her COVID-19 diagnosis, our client sought medical attention. Her treating providers discovered that she had Lyme disease and diagnosed her with chronic migraine headaches as a result of COVID-19. According to her doctors, our client cannot concentrate, exert herself, or climb – and she experiences severe pain and fatigue almost constantly.
Our client can only sit for 2 hours and 30 minutes at a time, she can only stand for 15 minutes at a time, and she can only walk for 1 hour and 15 minutes at a time. With these restrictions, she cannot carry on in her medium-strength occupation as an environmental health and safety manager.
United Fails to Credit Reliable Evidence
When she applied for short-term disability benefits, our client had information from one doctor. United did not have to give this doctor’s opinion special weight, but they did have to consider it, along with our client’s medical records.
Instead of crediting reliable evidence, however, United said the company did not have enough evidence to continue paying short-term disability benefits. Again, this was after the insurance company approved our client’s original claim.
To help United get the full picture, Dabdoub Law Firm highlighted the exact evidence the insurance company needed to consider – and provided our client’s migraine diary, which details the frequency and severity of her migraine episodes.
We gave United another chance to conduct a full and fair review under ERISA, and the insurance company swiftly reinstated our client’s short-term disability benefits.
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, such as UNUM, Hartford, MetLife, CIGNA, Prudential, and more.
- Successfully represented hundreds of clients and won millions of dollars in disability benefits.
Federal law applies to most disability insurance claims, so we proudly help clients across the country.
Disability insurance companies have lawyers. You should, too. Choose 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. No fees or costs until you get paid.
