A long-term disability claim can be a daunting task if you don’t have professional help. This is highly true in group insurance coverage provided by employers. It is a common occurrence among policy holders to experience denial of claims due to small errors pointed out by the insurance company. To increase your chances of success in getting your claim, a long term disability lawyer is necessary.
What makes a competent lawyer?
Choosing a lawyer to represent you needs to be thorough. The following are characteristics that can help you make a good choice.
- Good communication skills; these are mandatory for all professionals, especially lawyers who need to defend you in court. This includes written communication skills as well as attentive listening. Proper communication is essential to efficiently discuss facts about a case. In LTD cases, a deep understanding of your situation and the actions you have taken will become a strong foundation for your claim.
- Good judgment is a necessary skill. A lawyer must be able to draw logical conclusions and reasonable assumptions from limited sources of information. This is essential in order to make valid arguments without all supporting documents.
- Analytical skills go hand-in-hand with research skills. These are useful fact finding talents that allow the discovery of irrefutable facts and evidence. A great lawyer is able to find numerous ways to prove a point through thorough research and data analysis.
- People skills is something long term disability insurance lawyers need in order to make a convincing appeal to the judge and the jury. Some people can be good at expressing facts but lack the quality of getting people’s trust through their words. A good lawyer is able to draw in the crowd to listen to his argument and eventually support his claim.
- Creativity is a required skill as well, together with perseverance. What this means is that lawyers need to be good at crafting reasoning and arguments no matter how limited the available information is. This will show a person’s capacity to relentlessly prove a point no matter how futile it seems.
When should I a lawyer for my disability claim?
There is no such thing as hiring an LTD lawyer too early. As soon as you confirm that you are unable to work, you can get legal counsel right away to know the best steps to take. Most lawyers provide consultation services for free so you don’t have to worry about legal costs yet.
Most people wait until they get a claim denial notification from their insurance provider to get legal counsel. However, getting a lawyer beforehand actually helps in minimizing the costs you incur.
One common mistake among policy holders is that they quit work after the disability and then file a claim. An experienced lawyer would be able to advise you that this is not good. Almost all LTD policies state that coverage ends when employment ends. If you resign from work, you are legally voiding your LTD benefits.
Another common mistake most newcomers to insurance claims make is falling for the insurance provider’s scheme. There are companies with application forms that include questions which can elicit answers which render the insurance policy void. To avoid this, you need to have a lawyer check your answers to ensure that you are not imparting information that can be used against you.
Moreover, insurance companies count on the fact that you might be oblivious of their policies. You can have a lawyer explain to you the parts you don’t understand so you have a better understanding of your coverage and what you are legally entitled to.
If you have filed a claim and have been denied, make sure to seek help from Toronto disability lawyers immediately in order to make an administrative appeal. All types of long term disability policy have strict timelines, often around 6 months to make an appeal. Thus, you should not delay.
How do I find a Long Term Disability Lawyer in my area?
You will find that there are countless firms in your area wherein you can hire a lawyer. What matters is that you take time to choose someone who is highly capable and well-regarded by the people around you.
Peruse the TSF Law website – you should always check the firm’s reputation or credentials with their online reviews or other published company information. Try to reach out to your friends who have been in a similar situation or have gone to court for a hearing.
It is imperative to select only lawyers with long term disability experience. It is better to get an insurance claim lawyer who already has a good understanding of the laws that govern such claims and have dealt with similar situations. This makes studying the data faster so you can hasten the process significantly.
TSF Law can help you in your situation. For more information, call us at (905) 218-3668 or visit any one of our office branches today.
