If You Were Denied Long-Term Disability By New York Life, Our Attorney Can Help!

When you can’t work due to an injury or medical condition, long-term disability (LTD) insurance is supposed to assist you in covering your living costs.  Unfortunately, disability insurance companies like New York Life deny many claims that deserve benefits.  A wrongful denial of LTD benefits can be devastating and leave you without the income support you desperately need.

New York Life is one of the largest disability insurance companies in the world.  In 2021, New York Life acquired the life, accident and disability insurance businesses of both Cigna and Life Insurance of North America (LINA) in a deal valued at $6.3 billion. 

The management of claims is a numbers game for massive companies like New York Life. A denial is one many tactics New York Life uses to control costs. Disability claims adjusters are processing thousands of claims, including yours.  By denying your claim, New York Life is looking out for its bottom-line. You need someone looking out for you after denial of disability benefits by New York Life.  We’re here to help, and on your side.

How Our Attorney Can Help With New York Life Disability

1. If New York Life has denied your long-term disability insurance, please fax/email/mail us the denial letter as soon as you can. We will review it free of charge and give you a detailed strategy for moving forward. Please note that you must act promptly after a denial. The insurance company only gives you a limited time to appeal or you will lose your right to appeal.
2. If you are thinking about applying for disability, it’s a good idea to contact us and schedule a call with our long-term disability attorney before you quit working. During our paid consultation, we will review your disability policy, talk about your medical issues and any difficulties with performing your job. After our call, you’ll have a plan of action on what to do next.
3. If you are still gathering information, check out our free online resources, including our attorney’s free disability guide, which you can download instantly. You can also browse our library of helpful articles, FAQs and videos.  It's free information, and our goal is to answer every question you may have.

Reasons New York Life Denied Your Long-term Disability Claim

Denial letters from New York Life put LTD claimants in a very vulnerable situation, and present a serious legal issue.  If you’ve received a denial of your disability benefits from New York Life, you have certain legal rights, but you must act before any designated deadline. It is imperative to contact our long-term disability lawyer as soon as possible, so we can assist you before it’s too late. Our attorney knows the tactics insurance companies like New York Life will use to deny benefits, and will fight for your rights and benefits reinstatement.

Here are some reasons why New York Life might deny your disability benefits:

• You failed to submit objective medical evidence of your impairment;
• Your disability policy excludes coverage under one of its terms or conditions, such as its pre-existing condition clause;
• You failed to prove your disability prevents you from performing your own occupation or any occupation;
• New York Life hired medical doctors who said you were fit to work (even if they have never seen you);
• New York Life argues you can perform sedentary work; or
• You have a pending medical procedure and New York Life didn’t wait for it to be completed.

If you are suffering from an injury or chronic illness that makes you disabled, fighting a large insurance company like New York Life is often too much to take on.  Reach out to our long-term disability attorney at 816-203-0143, and let us help.  We’re on your side.

Did New York Life Wrongfully Deny Your LTD Benefits?

New York Life is counting on you giving up.  Disability insurance companies like New York Life hope you become frustrated and give up on the appeal process.  Their profit and loss estimates consider the percentage of uncontested claims. It's one of the strategies they use to increase profits.  We see this regularly and are experienced in fighting these tactics.

Appealing an LTD denial by New York Life is complicated.  We strongly recommend that you do not go it alone.  Our long-term disability attorney helps navigate the appeals process for you, making sure the insurance company receives all the necessary documentation in a timely manner. 

If the ERISA (Employee Retirement Income Security Act) law governs your plan, we must promptly file an administrative appeal to New York Life, usually 180 days from receipt of your denial letter.  This is a very strict deadline, and ERISA’s special rules usually bar you from supplementing any additional information at a later date.

If you believe the denial letter you received from New Yok Life was wrong, contact our long-term disability attorney as soon as possible at 816-203-0143.  There are specific legal actions we must take to protect your rights immediately.  Our experienced long-term disability attorney knows how to protect your benefits, and he’s on your side.

What if Your Long-Term Disability Claim is Being Delayed?

When your long-term disability claim is being delayed, you can first contact the insurance provider to determine the cause. Call their customer support number to speak with a representative directly for an explanation.  If it is not something you feel you can handle on your own, feel free to contact our experienced long-term disability attorney to review the situation for further action.

What Can You Expect If Your New York Life Claim is Being Paid?

When a claim is still being paid, we often advise people not to become complacent about their disability benefits. The first two years frequently go smoothly.  Benefits are promptly paid, and everything seems to be in order.  Then, without warning, you may receive a letter requesting an update from your attending physician or an outright denial letter.

What to Do After a Claim Denial

Despite the guarantees offered when initially signing up for long-term disability insurance, New York Life regularly rejects benefit coverage.  You should receive written notice—possibly via email—if your benefits are terminated. On occasion, a claims administrator may call you to inform you of the benefits denial - you must still ensure you get a written copy of the decision.

The written determination will include the insurer's justifications for rejecting your claim, information regarding your ability to appeal, and the deadline for filing an appeal with New York Life.  You can also ask for a copy of your claim file, to go with the denial letter.

Contact us as soon as possible for a free review of your denial letter.  We’re here to help!

Appealing a Long-Term Disability Denial By New York Life

Filing ERISA appeals can be very challenging. The ERISA federal law heavily benefits insurance companies.  As a result, there are several myths, pitfalls, and tricks associated with these appeals. This is why we implore you to contact our nationwide ERISA-trained disability lawyer. You have too much at stake and there’s too much room for error in your one-time appeal.

It’s also a good idea to familiarize yourself with the legislation and guidelines governing ERISA appeals. For instance, as part of your appeal, ERISA mandates that we provide any and all supporting documentation and legal arguments for reversing the denial. You cannot add more information later if this is not done, even if you file a lawsuit.

In ERISA lawsuits, you are limited to the evidence you have already submitted. There are no "discoveries" or juries, and no witnesses. The judge merely reviews the paperwork in your claim and appeal file.  This is why you’ll greatly benefit from having our experienced ERISA attorney on your side and fighting for you.

The following are just a few of the documents you will want to include with your New York Life LTD appeal:

• All pertinent medical records detailing the relevant work restrictions and limitations
• Letters from treating doctors outlining your precise restrictions
• Reports from medical and vocational experts
• Personal accounts from you and those who have witnessed your disability

As we only have 180 days to file an appeal, you should get these items ready as soon as possible. Again, after the claim is submitted, we won't be able to add any additional documentation. Even federal judges agree that claimants who are represented in their cases have a much greater chance of benefits getting reinstated.

Contact Our Long-Term Disability Attorney

Most attorneys do not handle ERISA disability claims due to their complexity. Our long-term disability attorney is experienced in this area of law and ready to help.  Contact our office today to schedule your free denial letter review. 

Call us at 816-203-0143 or contact us online. We are happy to answer questions about New York Life disability policies and will review your denial letter for free.  You can also download our free guide on long-term disability appeals to learn more.  We're on your side, and here to help!  Call us today.