For Ontarians who can’t work due to an illness or permanent injury, being cut off from long-term disability (LTD) benefits can be devastating.
Without financial support from their insurance company, most of our clients weren’t sure how they were going to pay bills or put food on the table.
In many cases, insurers don’t have a legitimate reason for cutting off LTD benefits.
READ MORE: Can my insurance company cut off my long-term disability benefits after I have been approved?
The reality is that insurance companies profit by denying disability claims and keeping your money. While this might benefit shareholders, it doesn’t help you in your time of need.
If you have been cut off from LTD benefits in Ontario, don’t panic. Here are three things you need to do.
1. Get your insurer’s decision in writing
It’s not uncommon for insurance companies to tell individuals over the phone that their disability benefits will be, or have been, cut off.
If you are informed of the decision verbally, ask your insurer to provide you with their reasons in writing. This is known as a denial letter.
READ MORE: Most common mistakes people make when they are denied long-term disability
Denial letters put pressure on insurance companies to explain their rationale for cutting off your access to LTD benefits.
Once you receive your insurer’s decision in writing, contact an experienced disability lawyer at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP. We can review your situation, assess your legal options and help you secure the compensation you deserve.
Even if you don’t have a denial letter, reach out to our firm as soon as possible. We provide free consultations for issues involving LTD and can answer any questions you have.
READ MORE: What to expect when hiring a lawyer to fight your disability claim denial
2. Speak with your doctor
After your insurer informs you that you have been cut off from LTD benefits, bring the denial letter to your treating doctor. Ask them if they agree with the insurance company’s decision.
If your physician disagrees, have them clearly explain in writing why your disability prevents you from resuming your job duties.
In the event that you are receiving treatment from multiple medical professionals, ask each of them to also comment on your condition in a letter or email.
READ MORE: ‘Get full support from your doctor’: Disability lawyer’s guide to making insurance claims
Some individuals are cut off from disability benefits at the “change of definition” date. This is usually two years after your LTD claim was initially approved.
In this situation, it’s crucial for your doctor to clearly outline in writing why your disability prevents you from doing any kind of work that you may be suited for.
3. Contact us
If you are denied or cut off from disability benefits in Ontario for any reason, speak with an experienced disability lawyer at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP before appealing your insurer’s decision.
Our firm regularly resolves issues involving LTD, life insurance, critical illness and mortgage insurance claims across Canada.
We provide consultations at no cost to you and have helped numerous clients, including Julie Austin and Sandra Bullock, secure proper compensation from their insurance company.
READ MORE: Insurer being difficult? 3 reasons you should hire a long-term disability lawyer
An interesting case that our firm recently handled involved a mechanic in Ottawa who was struggling with social anxiety disorder.
Roughly a year after receiving LTD, his insurer informed him over the phone that his benefits were going to be cut off.
When he asked why this was happening, his insurance company told him their medical consultant reviewed his file and determined that he could resume his job duties.
Before ending the call, the employee requested a denial letter. Once he received his insurer’s decision in writing, he contacted Samfiru Tumarkin LLP.
As our lawyers examined the denial letter and the reports submitted by the mechanic’s treating doctor, it quickly became clear that the insurance company’s medical consultant didn’t review the file properly.
READ MORE: The insurer cut off his benefits. Then his lawyer reviewed his medical assessment
In one of the reports, the physician specifically noted that the worker suffered severe panic attacks when leaving his house and was prone to fainting in high-stress situations.
After bringing our findings to the mechanic’s insurer, we were able to secure an extremely favourable amount of compensation for the employee.
Cut off long-term disability? Asked if you want to appeal the insurance company’s decision?
Contact the firm or call 1-855-821-5900 for a free consultation with a disability lawyer. We can help individuals anywhere in Canada (except Quebec). Get the advice you need and the compensation you deserve.
Sivan Tumarkin and Albert Klein are disability lawyers at Samfiru Tumarkin LLP, Canada’s most positively reviewed law firm specializing in employment law and long-term disability claims. The firm provides free advice on Canada’s only Disability Law Show on TV and radio.