Dabdoub Law Firm Reinstates LTD Benefits for Client in Orlando, FL
In November 2022, Dabdoub Law Firm appealed to The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America on behalf of our client in Orlando, FL. Our accomplished disability insurance lawyers successfully reinstated our client’s long-term disability benefits (LTD) after he was wrongfully denied by his insurer.
In a concerning display of unprofessionalism, Guardian Life waited until March 2022 to inform our client that they would no longer be paying him benefits beyond January 17, 2022. They backed their decision with the claim that our client no longer met the new definition of disability, meaning that he is ineligible for benefits.
Frustrated by Guardian’s bizarre and unjust reason for denying him, our Orlando client turned to our disability attorneys at Dabdoub Law Firm for help.
Substantial Medical Evidence Contradicts Guardian’s Unjust Decision
As an ERISA fiduciary, Guardian Life is legally obligated to act in the best interests of its clients—something they failed to do in the case of our Orlando client, whose substantial medical records directly contradicted the company’s decision to terminate his long-term disability plan.
In response to Guardian’s baseless claim that our client wasn’t unable to perform a minimum of two ADLs, the Florida resident underwent a functional capacity evaluation (FCE), a reputable medical assessment that, according to the courts, is one of the most reliable and accurate means of assessing functionality. The results of our client’s FCE clearly supported that he is entitled to ongoing benefits under his new plan.
The injustice of Guardian’s denial was supported by documentation from our client’s physicians. One doctor, having treated our client for “many years,” confirmed an overwhelming number of debilitating diagnoses: lumbar disc herniation, post-laminectomy syndrome, peripheral vascular disease, coronary artery disease, hypertension with associated congestive heart failure, and more.
If for some absurd reason this never-ending list of debilitating diagnoses wasn’t enough to support our client’s continued eligibility for LTD benefits, the doctor goes on to define our client’s constellation of medical conditions as “disabling and life-altering.”
To make matters worse, chronic edema makes it extremely painful for our client to stand or walk—which, as one can predict, are two essential functions to perform any ADL.
Guardian Life Contradicted Themselves by Wrongfully Denying Our Client
Ironically, appealing on our client's behalf would not have been necessary if Guardian Life had simply applied its own definitions correctly. After the conclusion of our client’s 24-month “own occupation” period, Guardian Life unjustly declared him ineligible for continued benefits on the grounds that he didn’t meet the new definition of disability under his plan.
Not only does a substantial amount of medical evidence beg to differ with that opinion, but according to their own definitions, Guardian Life directly contradicted itself. According to his insurer, our client must be unable to perform two or more ADLs (“Activities of Daily Living”).
Our attorneys kindly reminded Guardian that our client is unable to perform four of the six ADLs delineated in his plan. Ironically, Guardian already knew this to be true, as the same information was denoted in the insurer’s onsite assessment of our client.
Given that Guardian Life’s own definitions contradict their decision to wrongfully deny our client, Dabdoub Law Firm took swift action to reinstate his long-term disability benefits and successfully restore his access to the care he is rightfully entitled to.
Our Lawyers Specialize in Disability Insurance Claims
Because our law firm has always focused only 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 help make better laws for disability claimants;
- Successfully represented hundreds of clients and won millions of dollars in disability benefits; and
- Experience fighting every major insurance company, such as UNUM, Hartford, MetLife, CIGNA, Prudential, and more.
Because federal law applies to most disability insurance claims, we can help clients across the country.
Disability insurance companies have lawyers. You should too. Call the 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 (800) 969-0488 to request a free consultation with a disability attorney. No fees or costs until you get paid.
