In April 2020, our client in Lexington, MY went for a run not knowing it would change his life forever. He was hospitalized after experiencing severe head pain, dizziness, and heart palpitations. After consulting with numerous specialists, a cyst was discovered on our client's brain and was surgically removed in October 2020.
Unfortunately, this was not the end of our client’s medical journey. Following the procedure, his symptoms only worsened until our client was unable to work—a hard pill to swallow, considering he was thriving in a career he loved prior to the incident in April 2020.
Forced to leave his rewarding occupation, our client filed a claim for both short-term disability (“STD”) benefits and long-term disability (“LTD”) benefits. Both were approved by MetLife, as the organization clearly recognized that our client’s debilitating migraines, weakness, fatigue, and cognitive deficits prevented him from returning to the occupation he was formerly passionate about.
But in May 2022, 18 months after his claim was initially approved, our client’s short-term and long-term disability benefits were abruptly terminated by MetLife. Our firm argued that this decision was made in the absence of common sense, as our client’s condition had not improved; rather, his symptoms were at an all-time worst at the time of termination.
Frustrated by this unjust decision to further impair his quality of life, our client turned to Dabdoub Law Firm for the experienced legal representation he deserved.
MetLife Approves Long-Term Disability Benefits for Our Client in Lexington, MY
Dabdoub Law Firm appealed to MetLife on our client's behalf. A staggering amount of medical and non-medical evidence was included in the appeal to support our client's evident need for disability benefits. Once a healthy and successful individual, our client's life was turned upside down by debilitating symptoms that substantially impair his ability to fulfill day-to-day activities.
In the appeal, our firm effectively argued that because our client is still unable to navigate his own home without the assistance of a walker and home health aide, Lisa Brown, MetLife’s outlandish implication that our client could return to work full-time is preposterous.
Numerous medical professionals described our client’s condition as “completely disabled.” For two years, our client has unceasingly consulted with one specialist after the next in an effort to seek treatment and improve his condition.
Dr. Mary Chin, a renowned pain management specialist, diagnosed our client with 30 different conditions, including brain fog, blurry vision, chronic migraines, chronic back pain, and severe muscle deconditioning. At Dr. Chin’s recommendation, our client promptly returned to physical therapy for treatment. The physical therapist denoted various medical issues in our client, including:
- Chronic pain
- Light sensitivity
- Decreased lower extremity strength
- Decreased activity tolerance
- Impaired standing tolerance
- Difficulty walking
These symptoms were documented just 1 month prior to the termination of our client’s benefits, strengthening the argument that MetLife made this decision when his condition was at an all-time worst.
Lexington Client Described as “Completely Disabled” by Multiple Medical Specialists
Over the course of his nightmarish medical journey, our client was repeatedly described as “completely disabled” and unable to complete his day-to-day activities, let alone make any meaningful contributions to the workplace. Nonetheless, MetLife saw fit to terminate our client's benefits without warning when his symptoms were utterly crippling.
The following diagnoses were confirmed in our client:
- Ataxic gate due to cerebellar disorder
- Chronic migraines
- Anxiety and depression
- Chronic fatigue
- Polyneuropathy
- Impaired mobility and ADLs
Our client also consulted with two psychiatrists. Both confirmed that his symptoms were not psychiatric in origin; rather, his worsening condition has rendered him “completely disabled” and imposes hardships in the simplest daily activities. Supportive letters from family and loved ones paint a similar picture of our declining quality of life.
MetLife Wrongfully Terminated Our Client’s Benefits without Cause
Dabdoub Law Firm successfully appealed to MetLife to restore our client’s short- and long-term disability benefits by providing copious evidence and stating the intent to pursue litigation if no action was taken.
While our client did not deserve to suffer through a constellation of debilitating medical conditions, nor did he deserve to have his benefits terminated without warning or cause, our firm is happy to say that our Lexington client’s STD and LTD benefits have been restored, allowing him to focus on his health and treatment to alleviate his chronic pain.
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;
- 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.
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.
