Short Term Disability Attorneys – Helping You Secure Your Insurance Benefits

What is Short Term Disability Insurance?

Short Term disability insurance is a type of coverage that can provide monthly benefit payments, replacing a percentage of your former income if you become disabled. You may receive this coverage as part of your benefits package through your employer or purchase it separately on your own. It protects your income if an injury, accident, or illness prevents you from working for a temporary period. The insurance offers various coverage and benefit options, allowing you to choose the protection that best suits your needs and security. Understanding these options is crucial to ensuring you have the right level of protection for the duration of your disabling condition.

Short term disability attorneys often assist individuals in understanding the terms of their policies, applying for benefits, and appealing denials of claims.

Coverage and Benefits Options 

Short Term disability insurance comes with multiple coverage and benefits options that must be chosen when purchasing your policy. To get the best protection, avoid opting for the cheapest policy, as it may be insufficient. Instead, look for features that can make a difference if you later need to seek benefits.

Short Term disability insurance is available for varying durations, with plans typically paying benefits for 13, 26, or 52 weeks. After exhausting Short Term disability benefits, an employee may have a Long Term disability benefits policy that entitles them to longer coverage. Building a strong Short Term disability case can be imperative for a successful claim under the Long Term disability plan. A denial of Short Term disability benefits can cause serious implications for filing your Long Term disability claim.

Osterhout Berger Daley is here to help you from the application process through consideration of your claim. In the event you are denied benefits, we can assist with appealing that decision.

Requirements for Short Term Disability Insurance

To apply for and receive benefits under a Short Term disability policy, there are several important considerations. Your doctor’s written opinion is crucial. They should provide a statement detailing how your condition impacts your ability to complete the duties of your occupation. You will likely need to submit other types of medical evidence, so continuing to see your doctor while your benefits application is pending is essential.

Every insurance plan and policy is different and includes strict deadlines for filing and appealing claims. Carefully check your policy to ensure the illness or condition is not specifically excluded from coverage. If you have a pre-existing condition worsened by your job, your policy may have an exclusion period for coverage of up to one year after it caused you to become disabled.

We will work with you to ensure you meet the requirements under your plan.

Short Term disability claim attorneys can also help evaluate policy requirements and gather the documentation needed to support a disability claim.

Common Reasons for Short Term Disability Claim Denials

Short Term disability claims may be denied for a variety of reasons, depending on the insurance policy and medical documentation provided.

Common reasons for claim denials include:

• insufficient medical evidence

• policy exclusions or pre-existing condition limitations

• missed filing deadlines

• disputes over whether the claimant can perform job duties

Working with Short Term disability claim lawyers can help identify weaknesses in the insurer’s decision and develop evidence needed to support an appeal.

How Our Short Term Disability Lawyers Can Help

Short Term disability lawyers assist clients throughout the disability claims process.

Our attorneys may help with:

• reviewing insurance policies

• preparing disability applications

• gathering medical records and evidence

• responding to insurer requests

• appealing denied disability claims

As a Short Term disability law firm focused on disability benefits cases, Osterhout Berger Daley works to help clients secure the benefits available under their policies.

The STD Claims Process and Critical Deadlines

Application Process

Expect the application process to take between four to six weeks. To apply, you will need to submit the application, documentation of your income, and a signed release authorizing your insurance company to obtain copies of your medical records. After submitting the documents to your insurance company, you should be contacted to schedule a phone interview.

The next step will either be the submission of your information to underwriting for final approval, or the company may request that you submit to a functional capacity evaluation or an independent medical examination (IME). It is a good idea to consult your disability lawyer before attending an IME. Companies often use these assessments to provide reasons to deny your claim. If your case is sent to underwriting for approval, you should expect to be notified of its approval within two to four weeks. If you are denied, you will receive a denial letter in the mail.

Short Term disability attorneys can help ensure applications are completed properly and that deadlines required by the insurance company are met.

Dealing with Denials 

Even with Short Term disability coverage, your claim may be denied once you attempt to use those benefits. When a Short Term disability claim is denied, contact Osterhout Berger Daley immediately. Our team of experienced attorneys has helped more than 30,000 individuals receive their disability benefits.

If your claim has been denied, it is important to appeal the decision. In many cases, an insured claim is won on appeal. Most insurance companies have at least one level of appeal, and some have more. Federal law requires you to exhaust all available administrative appeals before filing a lawsuit. There are several steps to take when appealing a denial of your claim.

When your claim is denied, the company will send you a letter outlining its reasons. Read the letter carefully to see if you have missing documents that need to be tracked down. The letter will also explain how to file your appeal and the associated deadlines. Do not miss any deadlines, as you may then be unable to appeal your denial. We can help you supplement the record with additional evidence and expert opinions to increase the likelihood of a successful appeal.

We can work to ensure that your claim record is filled with favorable evidence. If your appeal is ultimately denied during your insurance company’s internal appeals process, typically the federal court will not consider any additional evidence other than what is contained in the underlying record. We may locate lost records to submit to the record, have your treating physician or another medical expert write expert statements giving their opinions about the functional limitations that your disabling condition causes, or secure additional objective evidence, such as X-rays, lab tests, or MRIs, to help bolster your claim. If your claim is denied by the insurance company, you may then file a lawsuit in federal court.

Transitioning from Short Term Disability to Long Term Disability

When Short Term disability benefits expire, some individuals may become eligible for Long Term disability benefits depending on their policy and medical condition.

The transition from STD to LTD often involves new applications, additional medical documentation, and coordination between insurance carriers.

Short Term disability attorneys can help ensure the transition process is handled properly and that gaps in coverage are avoided.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Short Term disability insurance?

Short Term disability insurance is a type of coverage that provides monthly benefit payments, replacing a percentage of your former income if you become disabled due to an injury, accident, or illness. It is designed to protect your income during a temporary period when you are unable to work.

How can I get Short Term disability insurance?

You may receive Short Term disability insurance as part of your benefits package through your employer or purchase it separately on your own.

What are the coverage and benefit options for Short Term disability insurance?

Short Term disability insurance offers various coverage and benefit options, allowing you to choose the protection that best suits your needs and security. Plans typically pay benefits for 13, 26, or 52 weeks.

What are the requirements for applying for Short Term disability insurance benefits?

To apply for benefits, you must first meet several requirements, such as providing your doctor’s written opinion about how your condition impacts your ability to complete the duties of your occupation, submitting medical evidence, and ensuring your illness or condition is not excluded from coverage by your policy.

How long does the application process for Short Term disability insurance take?

The application process typically takes between four to six weeks.

What should I do if my Short Term disability claim is denied?

If your claim is denied, contact Osterhout Berger Daley immediately. Our experienced attorneys can help you appeal the decision and guide you through the process to increase the likelihood of a successful appeal.

How can Osterhout Berger Daley help with my Short Term disability insurance claim?

Osterhout Berger Daley can help you through the application process, assist in gathering necessary documentation, support you in case of a denial, and guide you through the appeals process. Our team is dedicated to ensuring you receive the disability benefits you deserve.