Our client, a man who lives in St. Paul, Minnesota, needed short-term disability benefits through Lincoln National Life Insurance Company (Lincoln) after chronic pain kept him from working. Yet instead of using the full information provided in his benefits claim, Lincoln focused on one paragraph in particular and used it as rationale to deny his benefits. Using the threat of further legal action, including possible litigation, Attorney Kevin Schaefer appealed the denial and demanded the approval of our client’s benefits. Not wanting to go head-to-head with the nation’s trusted disability insurance attorneys of Dabdoub Law Firm, Lincoln chose to see reason and approved the claim.
Details of the Misinterpreted Chronic Pain Claim
Serious back and spine complications (including but not limited to an L3-4 bulge, L5-S1 bulge, L4-5 bulge, and convex scoliosis) leave our client with chronic pain that debilitates his mobility. As someone who loved his career, he still tried to keep working for quite a while after his pain began. However, as noted in his medical records, complete with opinions and diagnoses from multiple medical experts, the daily pain he experienced only continues to worsen, even with medical care.
In a recent medical evaluation, completed in May 2024, our client’s condition was concluded to be within the “less than sedentary range.” This conclusion explains that he cannot even sit for six hours without severe pain. Another medical note stated that he cannot sit for more than four hours at a time, so it is unreasonable to expect him to complete an eight-hour workday in any position, including sedentary (seated) roles. Another medical evaluation in May 2024 also determined that our client could not sit for even 30 minutes without serious pain interrupting his work and putting him in undue discomfort.
Despite the long medical history that explains his condition and how it debilitates him daily, Lincoln seemingly set that all aside to focus on one paragraph that had optimistically hoped he might be able to improve his condition with further medical care. Of course, in the totality of his medical records, this hope was quashed by more evaluations that found his condition was only getting worse.
Our team was not about to let Lincoln get away with such an unreasonable denial based on a misguided interpretation of his medical records, so under the direction of Attorney Schaefer, our team prepared a comprehensive appeal to the denial, including a detailed explanation of his medical condition and how it is viewed by his own medical providers. Before we had to take Lincoln to court, which we were entirely ready to do, the insurer backed down and agreed to provide our client with the disability benefits he was originally owed.
Lawyers with Expertise in Disability Insurance Claims
This 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; and
- Being backed by a law firm that has a proven track record of winning tough disability lawsuits.
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.
The firm represents clients nationwide with disability claims governed by federal law, even if we are not located in your state.
Call (800) 969-0488 or contact us online to speak with an experienced disability attorney. Pay no fees or costs unless you get paid.
