Kentucky ERISA Disability & Life Insurance Claim Lawyers

What is Osteoarthritis?

Sometimes called degenerative joint disease or degenerative arthritis, osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common chronic condition of the joints, affecting approximately 27 million Americans. OA can affect any joint, but it occurs most often in knees, hips, lower back and neck, small joints of the fingers and the bases of the thumb and big toe.

In normal joints, a firm, rubbery material called cartilage covers the end of each bone. Cartilage provides a smooth, gliding surface for joint motion and acts as a cushion between the bones. In OA, the cartilage breaks down, causing pain, swelling and problems moving the joint. As OA worsens over time, bones may break down and develop growths called spurs. Bits of bone or cartilage may chip off and float around in the joint. In the body, an inflammatory process occurs and cytokines (proteins) and enzymes develop that further damage the cartilage. In the final stages of OA, the cartilage wears away and bone rubs against bone leading to joint damage and more pain.

Insurers are largely reluctant to approve disability claims for eye impairments, even macular degeneration. They are likely to “conclude” that your claim does not adequately support limitations that prevent you from being able to continue in your own occupation or engage in any gainful employment.

You must fully develop your case to prove how poor your central acuity or peripheral vision is. We can help you demonstrate in great detail how your loss of vision limits your ability to work.

Our law firm will ensure that you have sufficient medical records, appropriate and essential input from your ophthalmologist, vocational experts and other specialists, and proof of functional limitations to substantiate your macular degeneration disability.

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is an illness that produces undesired, unshakable thoughts or beliefs (obsessions) in a person. These obsessions, in turn, cause the person to conduct certain actions or behaviors (compulsions) over and over again.

For people with OCD, their brain cannot let go of a certain thought. They know that this makes no sense, and this causes them extreme anxiety. To get rid of these obsessive thoughts, the person creates rules, or rituals, that they repeat excessively to make their unwanted thoughts stop.

Was your claim for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) denied by an insurance company?

Caused by a tick bite, the disease is a bacterial infection. Many people who contract the disease have a tough time getting the correct diagnosis. The symptoms from Lyme Disease are just like many other medical conditions and can appear inconsistently.

Lyme disease often imitates conditions such as multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, ALS, chronic fatigue, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, and Alzheimer’s disease. Indefinite diagnosis is common in cases of Lyme disease. Also, treating with antibiotics too soon can contribute to negative results.

These problems give the insurance company ammunition to reject a diagnosis of Lyme disease. In fact, insurance providers tend to dismiss Lyme disease as a disability altogether, alleging it is neither lasting (chronic) nor disabling.

Neuropathy is a disabling condition that affects millions of people across America. Neuropathy is a painful disorder caused by malfunctioning nerves. It is hard to quantify or qualify by most medical tests, and therefore, it is a disabling condition that is often challenged by long-term disability insurance carriers.

You have been diagnosed with neuropathy and your claim for long-term disability benefits has been denied, call us. We take on big insurance companies every day. We’ll fight to get you the benefits you deserve.

Understanding Neuropathy Disorders

When lupus disability prevents you from working, the denial of your claim for disability benefits can be devastating to you and your family. The deciding factor in qualifying for benefits is whether or not lupus affects your ability to work.

As disability attorneys, Mehr Fairbanks Trial Lawyers have a full understanding of the basis for denial that government disability programs and insurance companies use to deny disability claims for immune disorders such as lupus.

About Lupus and Disability

Multiple Sclerosis, or MS for short, is a disabling disease that causes those afflicted with it to lose muscle control, become unstable while walking, become fatigued, have vision problems, experience muscle weakness, and other cognitive problems. MS sufferers may also experience mood disorders, muscle spasms, partial or total paralysis, widespread pain, tremors, uncontrollable muscle movements, difficulty swallowing, inability to control bladder and bowels, and breathing problems.

MS never affects two people the same way. Everyone will have varying abilities to function, work, and take care of themselves. Therefore, not everyone with MS will qualify for long-term disability benefits. However, long-term disability insurance companies are notorious for denying long-term disability benefits for people with MS even when they are completely disabled. Disability insurance carriers will examine the medical records of the MS patient and make a determination as to their level of disability without actually meeting the MS patient. Therefore, it is vital that all disability claims include a complete and comprehensive medical record as well as any vocational or occupational testing that has occurred in the treatment history of the MS patient.

Disability insurance carriers will often deny claims for benefits by multiple sclerosis patients. The reason for this is often that the claim itself was deemed deficient or did not find or support a claim for disability. If you have been denied disability benefits, call us. We will take on the insurance company for you and fight until you get the benefits you deserve.

Any form of lung cancer or lung disease can devastate your life, but your problems are often compounded by insurance companies denying claim or delaying your benefits.

Disability Due to Lung Disease

Like many disabilities, disabilities related to lung cancer or lung disease start slowly and can go unnoticed making them particularly difficult to treat and cure. These diseases affect everyone slightly differently. Some people may be able to continue to work through their treatment while others find treatment completely debilitating. Insurance companies know this, and they will often treat people like they are faking their level of disability. Insurance companies may demand independent medical examinations or multiple internal evaluations of your claim, all of which are geared towards the ultimate denial or delay of payment of your claim. All lung diseases are serious and often fatal, the last thing you need is an insurance company giving you a hard time about your legitimate claim. If you have submitted a claim for disability to your insurance company due to lung cancer or other lung disease, and you have been denied or the insurance company has been dragging its feet pay you, give us a call. We’ll deal with the insurance, so you can focus on getting better.

Leukemia is a form of cancer that attacks a person’s blood and bone marrow. While sometimes treatable, leukemia will often leave those afflicted with it completely disabled at least for a time. If you have been diagnosed with cancer, you should immediately file a claim with your disability insurance company. If your disability claim has been denied, contact us. We take on big insurance companies and make them pay.

Symptoms of Leukemia

As Leukemia invades your body and begins to reduce your red blood cell count, you may feel constant fatigue and weakness. Most patients are frequently pale from anemia and often suffer abnormal bleeding. Patients may also experience bone pain and skin abnormalities.

A chronic knee disorder can develop from an inherent physical condition, a serious injury, or be the side effect of an illness. Knee pain and impairments of the knee joint can affect just about anyone.

How Do You Appeal a Denied Disability Claim for Knee Disorder?

You do not have to accept that your rightful claim has been denied. You can and should appeal the denial, but it is wise to accept that the process for appealing a denied claim for a knee disorder is complicated. It involves much more than writing back to the insurance company asking that they reconsider their decision. The burden of proof is on you to prove to the insurance company that you are entitled to disability benefits under your policy. Your appeal must present this proof.