Source: https://www.indianalongtermdisabilitylawyer-blog.com/tag/disability-benefits/page/2/
Timestamp: 2019-04-19 14:37:35+00:00

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At the O’Ryan Law Firm, we represent numerous clients who have become disabled and their disability claim was denied by their insurance company. We then represent the clients in the appeal process to appeal the denial of their disability benefits. Lately, many of the insurance companies have be issuing late determination decisions on the appeals that we submit to those companies. By law, an insurance company is required to issue a decision within 45 days of the date of receipt of the appeal unless an extension is warranted due to “special circumstances” but even then, a decision on the appeal must be rendered within 90 days at the latest.
The Supreme Court in Firestone Tire & Rubber v. Bruch, 489 U.S. 101, 115 (1989) held that de novo adjudication of employee benefit claims is the norm. Because the de novo standard of review is the default standard in an ERISA employee benefits case, the plan administrator or insurance company bears the burden of showing that the more deferential standard should apply. Fay v. Oxford Health Plan, 287 F.3d 96, 104 (2d Cir.2002); Marguez-Massas v. Squibb Mfg., Inc., 344 F.Supp.2d 315, 320 (D.P.R. 2004); McDonald v. Timberland Co. Group LTD Coverage Program, 2002 WL 122382, at *3 (D.N.H. Jan.23, 2002). Accordingly, once in litigation, a disability insurance company bears the burden of proving that their decision is entitled to deferential review by the Court.
The regulations governing ERISA disability claims require insurance companies to issue a decision on a claimant’s appeal within 45 days of the date that the insurance company received the appeal unless “special circumstances” warrant an extension of time for an additional 45 days; however, in “no event” shall the extension of time exceed 45 days. 29 C.F.R. §2560.503-1(i)(1), (i)(3), (i)(4).
The Dow Chemical Company is a multinational chemical corporation headquartered in Midland, Michigan. Dow manufactures plastics, chemicals, and agricultural products. With a presence in about 160 countries, it employs about 54,000 people worldwide. Dow Chemical also has a large complex on the northwest side of Indianapolis.
Liberty Mutual provides disability insurance to employees of Dow. Liberty Mutual Insurance is an American diversified global insurer, and the second-largest property and casualty insurer in the world. Based in Boston, Massachusetts, it employs over 50,000 people in more than 900 locations throughout the world.
O’Ryan Law Firm, on behalf of Plaintiff Laura McKenzie, recently filed a federal lawsuit against Life Insurance Company of North America (“LINA”), which is a subsidiary of Cigna Corporation. The Plaintiff was employed as a Registered Nurse with Allied Physicians, which made her eligible for disability benefits under the Allied Physicians, Inc. Long Term Disability Plan (the “Plan”).
In Laura McKenzie v. Life Insurance Company of North America and Allied Physicians, Inc. Long Term Disability Plan, the Plaintiff filed a lawsuit to gain the long-term disability benefits she was entitled to under the terms of the Plan.
Plaintiff was employed by Allied Physicians, Inc. as a Registered Nurse until she became disabled in 2009 due to the disabling effects of cervical and lumbar spondylosis and other serious medical conditions. Plaintiff filed an application for long term disability benefits and was paid disability benefits by the Allied Physicians, Inc. Long Term Disability Plan from October 2014 to October 2016. LINA issued the disability policy that provided disability coverage to the employees of Allied Physicians.
O’Ryan Law Firm, on behalf of Plaintiff, Jilian F., recently filed a federal lawsuit against Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (“MetLife”) in an attempt to reinstate the Plaintiff’s disability benefits claim. The Plaintiff was employed as a Marketing Communication Specialist with Landis + Gyr, which made her eligible for disability benefits under the Cellnet + Hunt Employee’s Welfare Benefit Plan (the “Plan”). In Jilian F. v. Metropolitan Life Insurance Company and Cellnet + Hunt Employee’s Welfare Benefit Plan, the Plaintiff filed a lawsuit to gain the long-term disability benefits she was entitled to under the terms of the MetLife policy.
Plaintiff was employed by Landis + Gyr until she became disabled in 2011 due to the disabling effects of Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, cervical degenerative disc disease and cervical radiculopathy, severe neck pain, fibromyalgia, carpal tunnel syndrome, and paresthesia.
Plaintiff filed an application for long term disability benefits and was paid disability benefits by MetLife from August 2013 to September 17, 2014.
On September 17, 2014, MetLife wrongfully terminated the Plaintiff’s long-term disability benefits. Plaintiff, represented by the O’Ryan Law Firm, then filed an administrative appeal with MetLife challenging the termination of her disability benefits. With this appeal, the Plaintiff included significant medical evidence to prove that she continued to meet the definition of Disabled under the MetLife policy. However, MetLife refused to overturn their decision to terminate the benefits. As a result, the Plaintiff was forced to file a lawsuit under ERISA in federal court against MetLife to obtain the benefits due her under the MetLife policy.
Founded in 1820, Indiana University has eight campuses in the State of Indiana and is a world leader in professional, medical and technological education. With over 17,000 employees state-wide, IU offers a generous benefit package which includes long term disability coverage through Standard Insurance. At the O’Ryan Law Firm, we have represented numerous IU employees who have become disabled and have been denied their long term disability benefits by Standard Insurance. We have represented professors, Human Resources professionals, and IT professionals, among others, employed at IU who applied for disability benefits with Standard, after their medical conditions made it impossible for them to continue working, and Standard Insurance denied those benefits.
During the Benefit Waiting Period and the Own Occupation Period you are required to be Disabled only from your Own Occupation. You are Disabled from your Own Occupation if, as a result of Physical Disease, Injury or Pregnancy or Mental Disorder, you are unable to perform with reasonable continuity the Material Duties of your Own Occupation.
During the Any Occupation Period you are required to be Disabled from all occupations.
You are Disabled from all occupations if, as a result of Physical Disease, Injury, Pregnancy or Mental Disorder, you are unable to perform with reasonable continuity the Material Duties of Any Occupation.
Any Occupation means any occupation or employment which you are able to perform, whether due to education, training or experience, which is available at one or more locations in the national economy and in which you can be expected to earn at least 80% of your Indexed Predisability earnings within twelve months following your return to work, regardless of whether you are working in that or any other occupation.
Material Duties means the essential tasks, functions and operations, and the skills, abilities, knowledge, training and experience, generally required by employers from those engaged in a particular occupation that cannot be reasonably modified or omitted. In no event will we consider working an average of more than 40 hours per week to be a Material Duty.
C. Partial Disability Definition During the Benefit Waiting Period and the Own Occupation Period, you are Partially Disabled when you work in your Own Occupation, but as a result of Physical Disease, Injury, Pregnancy, or Mental Disorder, you are unable to earn 80% or more of your Indexed Predisability Earnings, in that occupation.
To deny these claims under the policy, Standard Insurance routinely utilizes their in-house physician, Dr. Richard Handelsman, to review the medical records and opine that the IU employee is not disabled. Dr. Handelsman is the Medical Director for Standard Insurance and a salaried employee of Standard. Dr. Handelsman never examines the claimant and bases his opinion solely on medical records; therefore, his opinion is limited to only a review of the medical records. Also, we have found that Dr. Handelsman’s reports oftentimes fail to address important symptoms, like chronic pain, which are critical components to the disability claim.
Tagged: "disability benefits", "Indiana University employee" and "Standard Insurance"

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