In this Legal Minute Video, TWWHB partner, Stephanie Taylor, will talk about long-term disability benefits and a common misunderstanding we know many clients have with respect to their ability to work or perform certain procedures of their job although they have a disability. Here, Stephanie will explain that a reduction in your earnings—say you are earning 20% less than what your pre-disability income was—can entitle you to disability benefits.
At TWWHB our mission is to help you. This is why we never require any fee or obligation to simply talk to you, discuss your case, and explain your rights. We handle many types of insurance claims, including those arising out of a long-term disability benefits denial, particularly for medical professionals. If you have a legal question that is not listed here or you have further questions about a topic we have covered in a Legal Minute Video, feel free to give us a call. Our attorneys are happy to talk to you about what has happened and make sure you understand your rights.
QUESTION:
Do I have to be totally unable to do any work in order to qualify for long-term disability benefits? For example, if I can perform some of my work duties, but I'm now earning 20% less income because of my disability?
ANSWER: No.
Stephanie Taylor: I am often asked what is the biggest mistake or biggest misunderstanding people have about long-term disability policies. I would say the biggest misunderstanding people have is that they have to be totally unable to do any work at all in order to be eligible for benefits. When we talk about long-term disability policies, we mean those types of insurance policies that replace your income, whether it be a private policy that you went out to buy from an agent, or a group policy that you have through your employer.
Some disability policies define ‘totally disabled' as earning less than a certain amount of money. For example, earning eighty percent (80%) of what your pre-disability income was. So, then if you're doing some work, but you've lost twenty percent (20%) or more of your income, in that example, you would be entitled to disability benefits.
It's really important that you read your policy, keep a copy of it, and understand the definitions. We're happy to read the policy for you and explain what it means, because we don't think you should leave any of your hard-earned money on the table when you've been paying premiums for this type of insurance.