Disability Lawyer Abbotsford
A large percentage of Canadians will, at some point in their lives, suffer from a disabling injury or condition. Sometimes, the disability may be temporary, rendering the individual incapacitated or unable to work for a short amount of time. In other cases, the disability may be long-term, creating the need for a source of income to provide support, as well as medical benefits. When this is the case, short- or long-term disability insurance benefits can be extremely useful. However, even if you carry a long-term disability insurance policy, when it comes time to cash in on your benefits and recoup the compensation you deserve, your insurance company may not be willing to pay. If you feel like you have been wrongfully denied benefits, a disability lawyer in Abbotsford can aid you in understanding your policy and negotiating with your insurance company.
Common Causes of Disability
There are many different causes of disabilities that may result in a person trying to claim disability benefits. Sometimes, disabilities are the result of a serious accident, either on the job, at home, or on private property. In other cases–and more commonly–disabilities are the result of conditions or illnesses, such as diabetes, heart disease, stroke, cancer, chronic pain, or even a mental health disorder. Regardless of the cause of the disability or the type of disability you are suffering from, if you have a disability insurance policy that is designed to provide benefits in the event that you become disabled to the point that you are unable to work, you deserve to be compensated.
Why Your Short- or Long-Term Disability Claim May be Denied or Lowballed
Insurance companies want to save as much money as they can, plain and simple. This often means using confusing language to prevaricate about policies and the amount of money to which disability claimants are entitled. Common reasons why a claim may be denied that can often be overcome, or why a claimant may be offered less than they deserve, include:
- Lack of medical evidence: If you do not have enough medical evidence to prove the extent of your disability, the insurance company may claim that no disability exists;
- Complaint is subjective: A subjective complaint refers to an issue in which there is no determined objective cause for the complaint, and when medical evidence is based on someone’s self-reporting (i.e. claiming chronic pain); and
- Confusing contract language: Policies are often filled with confusing language that claimants do not understand, and claimants are therefore placed at a disadvantage. Insurance adjusters know this, and may try to take advantage of a policyholder’s lack of understanding to get away with offering the claimant less than he or she deserves.
Even when an insurance company does approve a claim and pay a claimant the full amount of benefits, they may take months to do so, putting the claimant in a very precarious position. When someone is disabled and unable to work, they need compensation immediately to help cover their cost of living expenses; having to wait an unreasonable amount of time for a claim to be approved can be very unsettling.
How can an Abbotsford Disability Lawyer Help?
If you are disabled and need to seek the disability benefits to which you are entitled, the first thing that you should do is call an Abbotsford disability lawyer. Do NOT make the mistake of agreeing to take a medical exam requested by the insurance company before speaking to a lawyer; these are performed by doctors paid by the insurance company, and are often not as independent and unbiased as they purport to be.
If you have already initiated your claim and your disability benefits have been denied, your claim is taking an excessive amount of time to process, or you have been offered benefits that are less than you think you are owed, our lawyers can help you. We can help you to understand your insurance policy, gather evidence to prove your disability, and represent you in discussions with the insurance company. At the Preszler Injury Lawyers, we know how to get you the benefits you deserve.
Call Our Abbotsford Disability Lawyers Now
When you are disabled and unable to work, you don’t have the luxury of waiting for months for your claim for disability benefits to get approved – you need benefits now. To receive the benefits that you deserve as soon as possible and to assist you in all interactions with an insurance company, do not delay in calling the experienced Abbotsford disability lawyers at the Preszler Injury Lawyers. You can reach our legal team today by phone, or send us a message telling us more about your disability claim and what you need.
