Opinion ID: 855794
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Initial Claim Approval

Text: On December 19, 2007, Hartford approved Neaton’s claim for LTD benefits. Although Hartford was still “working on accommodations for [Neaton] to [return to work] either in a special room or at home,” Hartford determined that “it [wa]s reasonable that [he] would be unable to function in a regular environment with sunlight and fluorescent lighting.” Hartford noted that “each exposure” to sunlight or fluorescent lighting created a risk for additional skin cancers, as well as “organ involvement” as the disease progressed. Hartford’s analysis suggested that limiting sun exposure would reduce the recurrence of, but “w[ould] not prevent all” of, Neaton’s skin cancers. Hartford concluded that Dr. Schuldenfrei’s limitations and restrictions were “supported.” A month later, on January 23, 2008, Neaton underwent an eight-hour surgery to remove a lesion from his ear. Neaton called it “the worst s[urgery] of his life” and noted it was the first time he had needed a skin graft. -5-