If you have a long-term disability and your employer is a part of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, you may qualify for benefits. However, it is common for people to make mistakes on their application. The following are four of the most common mistakes. If you can avoid these, your chances of getting benefits will increase.
Listening to advice from friends or relatives
It may be that you have one or more people you know that have filed for ERISA benefits or other forms of disability benefits. They may sound helpful, and some of their advice may be good, but under no circumstances should you rely on their advice when you are filling out the paperwork for benefits. They …show more content…
Too often someone applying for benefits will think that the medical reports regarding their sickness or injury will be enough evidence that they can no longer work. Although this is sometimes true, it is no always true. Certainly some injuries may be obvious to an insurance company, but this is not always true. They want to know why your medical condition means you cannot work. Therefore, you need to have your doctor create a report on the relationship between your medical condition, and how it prevents you from doing your job.
Be careful of your physical activities
Never do anything physical that is outside your capabilities given your medical problems. It is not uncommon for people to be observed and recorded doing something that is inconsistent with their disability, especially long-term disability. There is a tendency for insurance companies to be more stringent in their standards for long-tern versus short-term disability payments.
The problems listed above are only a few of the issues you can experience when applying for ERISA benefits. Because both the laws and the process can be difficult, it is best to consult with an attorney from the beginning. Make sure that you speak to an attorney that has experience with this area of disability. Those with experience with ERISA claims are likely to more effective than other