If you’ve purchased long-term disability insurance, then you expect your policy to kick in during your time of need. After all, you’ve paid your premiums to uphold your end of the bargain, so your insurer should do the same. Unfortunately, though, that isn’t always the case. In fact, given the extensive amounts that are often paid out on these claims, insurance companies often look for ways to deny them. If you don’t know how to anticipate and counter the insurance company’s arguments, then you could be left without the financial resources needed to stabilize yourself while focusing on your recovery.
One event that often leads to denied long-term disability claims is the independent medical examination. Sure, your own doctor may have deemed your injury disabling, thus preventing you from working, but your insurer probably isn’t going to take them at their word. Instead, your insurance company will want you to be evaluated by what they deem to be an independent and unbiased medical professional. So, how do you prepare yourself for this evaluation in a way that protects your interests?
Tips for getting through your long-term disability independent medical examination
Although the doctor who conducts your independent medical examination is supposed to be unbiased, the truth of the matter is that they’re contracted with the insurance company, and as such they have their own financial interest in finding justifications for claim denial. Therefore, when you go in for your examination, be prepared to do the following to protect your interests:
- Be honest about the nature and extent of your injuries: If you exaggerate your injuries, then there’s a good chance that the doctor will sniff it out, and your credibility at that point will be shot, likely resulting in your claim being denied. On the other hand, you don’t want to downplay your condition so much that the independent medical examiner finds that your injuries or illness aren’t severe enough to qualify as a long-term disability pursuant to the terms of your policy. So, think through how you can accurately and honestly portray the nature and extent of your harm.
- Be careful with what you say: You don’t want to come across flippant or otherwise say something that can be misconstrued and used against you during the claims process. So, think twice before you speak, and be sure you’re answering only the questions asked without volunteering a lot of extra information.
- Be cognizant of surveillance: In some instances, insurance companies go so far as to record claimants in hopes of catching them engaging in activities that are beyond what their limitations should be if they are truly disabled. So, in the weeks and days leading up to your independent medical examination, make sure that you don’t overexert yourself, even on a good day, and try to act in accordance with your injuries or illness.
Aggressively pursue your long-term disability claim
There’s a lot that goes into the successful pursuit of a long-term disability claim. If you make a mistake along the way, it could be costly to your case, your long-term financial stability and your ultimate physical recovery. Therefore, to protect your interests as fully as possible, you have to know how to gather evidence and craft persuasive legal arguments aimed at putting your insurance company’s arguments to rest.
