Long-term disability policies are supposed to provide you with benefits if you cannot work due to a covered condition. You must meet your insurer’s definition of disabled in order to be eligible to get benefits, though.
If you have a mental health condition, you may be able to qualify — depending on the specifics of your illness, the level of your impairment, and your policy terms. The Law Office of Julie A. Rice can help you determine if you should be covered, and can help you to prove your claim if your policy should be paying your benefits.
Give us a call today to talk with an Atlanta, GA long-term disability lawyer for help if you have a mental health issue that’s stopping you from working and you want your LTD insurer to pay you the money you need to make ends meet.
When does long-term disability cover a mental health condition?
A long-term disability benefits policy may cover a mental health condition if it meets the policy’s definition of disabled. You will need to carefully review your policy language to determine what kinds of conditions are covered, as well as the frequency and severity of symptoms that you need to experience.
You will also need to review your policy to determine:
- If you have a “Mental Illness Limitation” which may restrict your benefit for psychiatric conditions. For example, many policies limit benefits to two years
- If you have an own occupation policy or an any occupation policy. An own occupation policy means you can get benefits if you’re unable to do your current work, while an any occupation policy means you can get benefits if you’re unable to do any work
Mental illness limitations can make it much more difficult to get benefits over the long term, unless you can demonstrate that a physical condition has caused your mental illness, that your particular condition falls within an exception to this limit, or that you have a cognitive impairment unrelated to your mental illness.
Types of mental illnesses that could qualify you for long-term disability benefits
There are a variety of different mental illnesses that you may be diagnosed with that could potentially result in eligibility for long-term disability benefits, at least for a limited period of time. Examples include:
- Anxiety disorder
- Bipolar disorder
- Borderline personality disorder
- Depression
- Eating disorders
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Schizophrenia
- Substance abuse disorders
You will need clear and documented proof of your mental ailment, along with evidence of the ways in which it impacts your ability to work, in order to be able to make a successful long-term disability claim.
Getting help from a long-term disability lawyer
A long-term disability lawyer at Julie A. Rice Law can provide you with invaluable assistance if you are trying to qualify for long-term disability with a mental health condition.
Our legal team has represented many clients with mental health issues who need their insurance to pay the benefits they deserve, and we can assist both with initial claims and appeals.
We have a long track record of helping clients get approved with their initial application, as well as in successfully appealing denials both under ERISA regulations as well as for clients with individual policies that are not part of a workplace benefits plan.
To find out more about how our firm can fight for you, give us a call today.