3 simple mistakes that can affect your ERISA disability claim

On Behalf of | Sep 10, 2021 | ERISA Disability Benefits

Most workers don’t look very closely at the details of their employer-sponsored disability benefits when they start a new job. It is only after you have some kind of medical emergency that you really look into that ERISA disability coverage.

Access to disability benefits can help you protect your home and support your family even when you can’t work anymore. Unfortunately, many people don’t take the application process seriously enough in the early stages. They could easily make one of the three mistakes below and find themselves unable to claim benefits or dealing with a complicated and messy appeal.

They don’t worry about and comply with deadlines

There are often important dates involved in benefit applications. You may have to submit corroborating evidence after receiving a letter from the insurance company or notify your employer about an incident within a certain amount of time. Workers who don’t go over the details for the insurance benefits they want to claim could miss important deadlines and put their benefit rights at risk.

They don’t provide adequate medical evidence

Whether you have seen an outside specialist or your primary care physician for treatment, you need to provide comprehensive information about your diagnosis and the impact of the condition on your life. Some people just write down their diagnosis and symptoms, rather than providing medical evidence when applying.

You have the right to request written copies of your medical records from any medical professional who treats you. Rather than just writing down your diagnosis or providing a short list of symptoms, it may be better to obtain copies of your medical records and provide treatment records and diagnostic reports with letterheads from medical providers.

They don’t consider the social media element

Many people try to showcase the best parts of their lives on social media, and that can be a major mistake if you need disability benefits. The bigger the claim, the more likely it is for the insurance company or even your employer to try to find evidence that you don’t need the benefits.

Smiling photos or videos of you out with loved ones on a weekend getaway could undermine your claims that your condition impacts your quality of life or ability to work. Even old content could come back to haunt you, especially if you re-post things or use older pictures for your profile picture.