Long-term disability benefits can replace part of your income when chronic pain keeps you from doing your job. They do not cover medical bills.<\/p>\n
How much you receive, when payments begin, and how long benefits continue depend on the terms of your disability insurance policy.<\/p>\n
Yes. Chronic pain may qualify for long-term disability benefits when it is connected to a medical condition and keeps you from performing your job.<\/p>\n
This may include fibromyalgia, nerve damage, chronic back or neck pain, complex regional pain syndrome, migraines, or another condition that causes ongoing pain.<\/p>\n
A diagnosis is important, but the insurance company will also look at how your symptoms affect your ability to work.<\/p>\n
Many long-term disability policies pay a percentage of the income you earned before becoming disabled. Your policy will state the percentage and any maximum monthly payment.<\/p>\n
The policy will also explain how long you must be out of work before payments begin, how disability is defined, how long benefits may continue, and whether other income can reduce your payment.<\/p>\n
Some policies first consider whether you can perform your regular job. Later, the definition may change and consider whether you can perform another type of work based on your education, training, and experience.<\/p>\n
This is why the wording of your policy matters.<\/p>\n
Pain does not always show up clearly on an X-ray, MRI, or blood test. Because of that, an insurance company may accept that you have a medical condition but still question why it keeps you from working.<\/p>\n
Your claim needs to explain how the pain affects your ability to perform your job reliably and consistently.<\/p>\n
For example, pain may make it difficult to sit, stand, walk, lift, concentrate, use your hands, maintain regular attendance, or complete a full workday.<\/p>\n
Your medical records should document your diagnosis, symptoms, treatment, medications, and work limitations.<\/p>\n
Your doctor should explain what you can and cannot do instead of only stating that you are unable to work. Specific details about sitting, standing, walking, lifting, concentrating, and completing a full workday can make your limitations easier to understand.<\/p>\n
Your treatment history, medication side effects, and job duties may also help show why you cannot continue working. Statements from family members, coworkers, or supervisors can provide additional information about what they have observed, but they do not replace medical evidence.<\/p>\n
A well-supported claim connects your condition and symptoms directly to the job duties you can no longer perform.<\/p>\n
A denial does not always mean the insurance company believes you do not have chronic pain. It may believe the records do not clearly explain your limitations or show why you cannot perform your job.<\/p>\n
Read the denial letter carefully. It should explain the reason for the decision and the deadline to appeal.<\/p>\n
An appeal gives you an opportunity to respond to the denial and provide missing medical records, doctor opinions, job information, or other evidence. Simply sending the same records again may not address the problem.<\/p>\n
If chronic pain has made it difficult or impossible to keep working, or if your long-term disability benefits were denied, talk to us.<\/p>\n
Attorney Frank Kearney<\/a> and our team help people with long-term disability claims in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. We can listen to what happened and help you understand your next step.<\/p>\n Call Donahoe Kearney at 202-393-3320<\/a> or contact us about your long-term disability claim<\/a>.<\/p>\n Get Help With Your Long-Term Disability Claim<\/a><\/p>\n
\nRelated Long-Term Disability Resources<\/strong><\/h4>\n