The Standard Long-Term Disability Claims, Denials & Appeals

You expect your long-term disability (LTD) insurance coverage to help you when you cannot work because of a disability. That is why people have long-term disability insurance policies. They plan for the unexpected so that they have the resources they need if they are unable to work. Unfortunately, insurance companies like The Standard do not have your best interest in mind when they review long-term disability claims.

Most long-term insurance policies through employers are governed by ERISA (the Employee Retirement Income Security Act). Many workers assume that having federal laws governing insurance companies would be a positive thing. However, that is not the case. ERISA regulations are on the side of employers and insurance companies in most cases. They give insurance companies like The Standard a great deal of discretion to decide who should and should not receive long-term disability benefits.

Denied by The Standard? Call Our Long-Term Disability Lawyer

The Standard disability denial lawyers in Kansas City with the Law Office of Kevin J. McManus have extensive experience handling ERISA long-term disability claims. We understand ERISA laws and how insurance companies like The Standard use those laws to avoid paying valid long-term disability claims.

You can discuss your LTD denial by The Standard with a lawyer at our firm by calling 816-203-0143. Get the facts about how insurance companies handle long-term disability claims from someone who fights these companies for the rights of individuals to receive LTD benefits.

Our Disability Lawyers Can Help Appeal Denials by The Standard

If The Standard has denied your disability benefits, you may have one or more options to fight the denial. Our office will help you by:

1.  Providing a Free Review of Your Denial Letter

The information in the denial letter is crucial for your appeal. You need to understand that information to decide what you should do next. Contact our office to have your denial letter from The Standard reviewed by an ERISA long-term disability lawyer. The review is provided free of charge.

You are under no obligation to hire an attorney with our firm. We provide a strategy for fighting the long-term disability denial from The Standard. We want you to have the information you need to make the decision that is best for you.

2.  Ask for a Free Copy of Our Disability Guide

Our Disability Guide is provided free of charge. Just contact our office to ask for your copy. The guide was written by our long-term disability denial attorney, so it is a valuable resource for anyone who is applying for LTD insurance benefits.

In our Disability Guide, you can learn more about:

  • The truth and myths about long-term disability insurance.
  • How ERISA LTD claims differ from other long-term disability claims?
  • Why ERISA laws give The Standard and other insurance companies an unfair advantage?
  • The steps to take after receiving a denial letter from The Standard to protect your legal rights.
  • The crucial step that can help you get the benefits you deserve and much MORE information you cause use right now.

We also provide an extensive library of articles and FAQs about long-term disability insurance claims and benefits on our website. These resources are provided at no charge, with no obligation for you to hire our law firm.

3.  Call 816-203-0143 to schedule a consultation with our disability lawyer after a denial by The Standard.

We are passionate about the work that we do for our clients. Our legal team works with local attorneys nationwide on ERISA disability cases at no additional charge. We want to help you get the long-term disability benefits you deserve.

Why Did The Standard Deny Your Long-Term Disability Claim?

The Standard LTD DenialsInsurance companies like The Standard deny claims for many reasons. However, the underlying reason why long-term disability insurance companies deny claims is to save money.

Insurance companies are in business to make money. Paying claims go against their efforts to earn bigger profits. Therefore, The Standard will take every opportunity it can find to deny an LTD claim. Some reasons for a denial might be valid, but the company could use unfair tactics to try to avoid paying your long-term disability claim.

Reasons that The Standard might give you for denying your long-term disability claim include, but are not limited to:

  • The conditions or terms of your policy do not cover your specific disability or situation.
  • You have not provided sufficient medical evidence to prove that you meet the definition of disabled.
  • Require you to complete a FCE (Functional Capacity Evaluation) or TSA (Transitional Skills Analysis) to establish you can perform some skills that could be used to earn a living, even though you never held those jobs before you were disabled.
  • A physician hired by the insurance company refutes your doctor’s findings.
  • You did not complete all the steps or meet all requirements to be eligible for long-term disability benefits.

The Standard has a team of ERISA long-term disability attorneys to defend its actions. It wants to intimidate you and delay the claim as long as possible so that you give up fighting. An insurance company has enormous resources to fight long-term disability claims.

You need a legal team on your side to fight for the long-term disability benefits you deserve. At the Law Office of Kevin J. McManus, our Kansas City disability lawyers even the playing field with big insurance companies and corporations. Our law firm has extensive knowledge of ERISA laws, and they know how to use those laws to your advantage.

If you received a denial letter for your long-term disability claim, act now to protect your legal rights. Call our law firm at 816-203-0143 to speak with a knowledgeable member of our legal staff.

Filing an Appeal for Long-Term Disability Denial by The Standard

When filing an appeal for an LTD denial, time is not on your side. You need to act quickly. There are short and strict deadlines for filing long-term disability appeals. If you miss any of those deadlines, you might lose your right to appeal the denial by The Standard.

Our disability denial lawyer at the Law Office of Kevin J. McManus has the resources available to fight these claims. Because our Kansas City disability lawyers have experience handling ERISA claims, they know the steps to take to protect your legal rights.

Call 816-203-0143 now to talk with an LTD attorney about appealing the denial of disability benefits by The Standard.

Do I Need an Attorney to Appeal My LTD Denial by The Standard?

You are not required by law to hire a long-term disability attorney to file an appeal. However, ERISA laws favor the insurance company, and the insurance company has resources you do not have available to you. Therefore, hiring our disability lawyer in Kansas City to help with appealing a denial of your claim by The Standard is in your best interest.

Long-term disability appeals can be very complicated. You must have sufficient medical documentation to prove that you are disabled. You must also ensure that all forms are complete, accurate, and timely filed for your appeal. You may need medical experts and other witnesses to help prove that you are entitled to long-term disability benefits.

To prepare to file an administrative claim, you should make sure that you have:

  • Copies of all medical records, including records since your initial LTD claim
  • Statements from physicians and medical experts explaining your disability and impairment, including the restrictions related to work
  • Letters from witnesses, friends, and family members discussing the limitations caused by your disability

After you file your administrative appeal, The Standard has 45 days to deny or approve your appeal. If the administrative claim is denied, you can file an LTD lawsuit.

However, if you file an lawsuit, the judge will likely give the insurance company the benefit of the doubt regarding the denial of the claim. Having an attorney who is familiar with how these lawsuits play out in court is in your best interest.

You might want to consult with a long-term disability appeal attorney in Kansas City about your case before you file your administrative claim. However, don’t wait too long to speak with a lawyer about a long-term disability claim with The Standard. Time is not on your side when you receive a long-term disability denial letter from The Standard.

Contact Our Long-Term Disability Lawyer After a Denial by The Standard

At the Law Office of Kevin J. McManus, we fight for disabled workers to help them get the benefits they deserve.  We can assist clients nationwide with ERISA appeals and can help you too. Call 816-203-0143 now to talk with someone about your long-term disability claim.

Kevin J. McManus
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Kevin McManus is an accident injury and disability lawyer in Kansas City, MO, and Overland Park, KS