Disability Claims Solutions works to provide professional, experienced disability claims case management and social security disability representation to those who are making initial applications for benefits, and/or those who need assistance with the frequent number of communications and complex paperwork required by the disability claims process.
Our mission is to provide insureds and individuals with knowledge about the disability claims process that is at least equal to that of the insurance company who sold you or your employer a disability policy approved by your state.
In addition, we believe insureds have the right to receive a fair, objective and honest review of their application for benefits that is indicative of “good faith and fair dealing” and/or a demonstration of fiduciary duty on the part of the insurer.
As a company, DCS also believes all disability insurers should be held accountable for any deliberate internal claims review strategies resulting in the termination of legitimately payable claims solely for profit at the expense of the insured or claimant.
I have chronic pain recently dz as right hip labral tear cam impingement chondomalcia of hip and torn labrum in a catagory Tonne# 3 and #3 for arthritis catagory for with large cyst 1.4 cm tear and Insurance companies and orthopedist have no gaurantees for pain relief. If I go down road of surgery will eventually need resurfacing Bimingham hip as I had a severe fx of femur age 16 MVA. If I file claim should I get neuropsy testing before or after filling claim. This testing is required for continuing work while taking opiods for pain I take at bedtime. This can obviuosly go south if I fail but would make a case as impaired by opiate as health care worker but also can find me unemployed if I test and interpretation is not good. Any thoughts .
Gary
Gary, your medical treatment and when you receive it is a matter for you and your physician to decide and should be made completely independent from disability claim decisions. Your health is the primary concern. You should file a disability claim any time your physician gives you medical restrictions and limitations preventing you from working at your job. DCS cannot give you any advice about your medical care, however, should you file a disability claim, we will certainly provide you with administrative assistance. Thanks for posting.
Where I can divulge my story on this website. Please suggest a way I can express my opinions and history dealing with Unum. I find this site a little overwhelming.
Please click on the “Claim Watch” tab and write away!
Hi Linda,
I am enjoying your blog, and have linked to it from my own. Keep up the good work!
Thanks. I noticed the link yesterday on my stats and visited your page. There is a lot of good information there. Welcome, and keep in touch!
Hi Linda,
Unum called today requesting to set up a field visit. I’m not real worried about the interview as my condition is real. However it’s not all the time. I have completely random vertigo spells that leave me incapacitated for up to 10 hours at a time. Should I be worried because it’s not every day? It’s impossible to work when you don’t know if and when these episodes will occur. But some days I’m completely normal and can live a normal life. What do you suggest I do or say? Am I confined to my home because these people are doing surveliance? What kind of questions should I answer and not answer? Can I admit to being able to drive a car? Do I have to let them take pictures?
Please give me a call. I have some resources that may help you and I have some very good information for you. This is the type of mistake most insureds make. It is not whether your disability is “real” or not. It’s how the field rep interprets what you say and writes it up in his report. There is a great deal more to this than you know. Please call me if you want additional information.
Where do I find your phone number?
Hi Linda,
I filed a disability claim against Unum in September 2010. I have a private disability policy I’ve been paying on for over 20+ years. My Oncologist and primary doctor both determined I cannot work full-time. My policy covers me for inability to work full-time in my field of work. Despite being diagnosed with Sleep Apnea, Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia (CLL) (spent 2-years on chemo), severe hearing loss, Otosclerosis, tinnitus, depression with suicidal ideation, anxiety, asthma, chronic cough (leading to recommendation for speech counselor by ENT), chronic fatigue and anemia I have not been denied nor approved. I’m at a loss at what to do, any suggestions?
Notify your Department of Insurance as well as the Maine Department of insurance that Unum is taking over 6 months to make a decision on your claim. Each state has guidelines as to how long an insurance company can take to make a decision once proof of claim has been sumbiited. The Maine Department of Insurance is one of three lead regulators with oversite authority for Unum’s adherence to the multistate settlement agreement and RSA amendments. Notify both of these agencies of the amount of time Unum is taking to make a decision on your claim. Six months is NOT appropriate, and I would not allow the company to “hang you out there” any longer without a decision.
Linda:
I recently found your blog and was impressed by the information there. I only wish I could have found your site sooner; I am disabled with CFS and have been dealing with UNUM for 10 years. As recently as 2 days ago, they denied my benefits again. Please tell me how to contact you regarding information related to an appeal. I appreciate your help.
Patti
We filed a complaint with the Ohio Federal District Court (Ohio Southern District Court) against Unum for termination of LTD ( We are claiming Unum was “arbitrary and capricious” based upon an improper and deliberate interpretation of the plan) My question is…now that this is filed what happens next and approximately how long until a decision is reached?
I am assuming you have an attorney representing you, but Unum’s usual procedure is to file a motion for summary judgement claiming you have no case. If the judge approves the motion for summary judgement the case is over and Unum wins. Your attorney will file answers to the motion and the process goes on for awhile until a decision is made by the judge. Unum usually files motion, after motion, after motion which your attorney is required to answer.
Court is never where you want to be when it comes to a disability claim. You can expect 6 months to 2+ years to resolve. Thanks for posting.
We are asking for an “Administrative review “ I was told arguing over the standard of review. Sorry I’m not more knowledgeable about this.
Then, you are asking the judge to put away the deferential judicial review of “arbitrary and capricious” and conduct a de novo review. Unum’s not going to like that, but I hope the judge decides in your favor.
Should I assume the time frame for this is about the same as what you mentioned above? Sorry to sound so naive about this but I am. My attorney is confident but me…not so much.
You should ask your attorney to give you an estimate of the amount of time your case will take since he is the closest to it. Good luck to you and thanks for posting.
Linda:
I have been on ROR for 7 months going to an IME and my doctors supplying numerous info and UNUM still has not made a decision on my illness(PTSD, early stages of dementia) thus holding up further benefits I would receive for my previous employer. I have been approved and receive monthly social security benefits and still they delay to issue a ruling. THIS IS ABSURD!!! I wonder has anyone received social security and UNUM has had the audacity to deny.
This is totally inappropriate. Unum’s Benefit Claims Manual states ROR is supposed to be of short duration. I would immediately write to your state DOI and inform “my claim has been on Reservation of Rights for more than a reasonable amount of time. This has given Unum the opportunity to under reserve the liability for my claim for which liability has been made reasonable clear. I request your department immediately investigate why Unum continues the ROR status.”
In the meantime you also need to write Unum and ask to be provided with a “good faith explanation as to what information it does not have in order to accept liability on your claim.”
Again, this is totally inappropriate.
Well UNUM finally called back to CLOSE my claim and the interesting part is that the original claims manager did not have the professionalism to call but rather someone else who was unable to answer my questions! I also need to have the scores and any other pertinent info from my IME sent to my mental health professional and all he would say is that a denial letter will be mailed explaining all my options to appeal. I am determined not to be bullied by them and their lack of service and professionalism and will hire an attorney to address the issue. It appears to me if I am collecting social security benefits which means the FEDERAL GOVERMENT has deemed my illness’ are serious enough not to work at ANY occupation that Unum would have a hard time explaining their determination that I am able to continue my career!
Linda:
I am completely impressed by your website. We have been dealing with Unum for over eight years, and up until a year ago there was no problem. My husband was in a boating accident almost nine years ago and has been on LTD since that time. He was in upper management at the time of the accident and has been recieving the maximum benefit amount for his policy. Although his policy is offered at work, it is not covered by ERISA since the policy is only an option offered to employees with no benefit to the employer. A year ago this month we recieved a phone call from Unum informing us that our benefit had been terminated due to “new” information obtained from our attending physician. We were dumbstruck. My husband nearly lost his leg in the accident and has had a muscle transplanted from his back to replace the calf muscle lost. He has a fused ankle bone and most of this bone was built from his hip bone. He truly is a medical wonder. However, medicine can only do so much. He can only be in a standing position for less than two hours at a time, and even sitting requires the elevation of his leg. Our physician is one of the top Orthopeadic Surgeons in the country and is a professor at Duke University. We immediately called his office and after much confusion it was discovered that an office staff member had incorrectly filled out my husband’s physician statement. Our Doctor was distraught to say the least. We obtained a corrected version along with a letter stating the correction with his signature, but when we contacted Unum they informed us that the case was closed. I could not believe that they would close a case in less than two days on a case that had remained open and consistent for eight years. My husband’s leg will only get worse with time, and there is no correction available. They KNOW this. We obtained a lawyer, and submitted an appeal. This appeal was denied. We then sent a correspondence stating that our case is not ERISA and would be argued in a state court with a jury. They called our lawyer and requested a demand letter. We of course sent them one. That was over two weeks ago. My question is that do you know if this is a common practice to request a demand letter? Or is this just one more step in the dance for them? I am sorry I could not write this any shorter, but I at least wanted to give you the bare bones. I appreciate all that you do for your readers. Thank you, Kristy
First of all since Unum denied your husband’s claim he now has the right of appeal. The new information can be submitted as part of the appeal, but I’m sure your attorney knows that. I’m not sure I know what a “demand letter is”. I’m presuming it is a “request for an appeal”. You or your attorney should be requesting a copy of the claim file and preparing an appeal to overturn the denial decision.
In the past, one could reasonably feel secure when Unum’s claims made it to the Extended Duration Unit. Now, however, claims that have been paid for 15 years or more have been denied which indicates to me how “bad off” UInum may be financially. As you may know Unum is looking “to merge or be taken over” by another company. Talk to your attorney about sending a “request for intent to appeal”, obtain a copy of the claim file, and then prepare an appeal. DCS assists with quite a few appeals, but the additional information you have can be submitted as part of the appeal. Thanks for posting and I’m very sorry Unum is putting you through this.
Wow, I can’t believe somebody has a site like this.
Because this was my second in-home visit and I got the letter I didn’t think much of it.
But, anyway, I’d love to know what your prognosis is on the following cause from what I’ve seen you say it’s not good.
I’m not sure what the best course of action if any could be done, delay cause of the quarter? not sure what doing interview elsewhere really does, they’ve been here..I actually do have a sign cause it’s so painful to get up for salespeople.
Anyway:
awhile back, I get a request from my normal old had forever rep for paperwork, I think even after a long phone call. About 2 weeks later I get a nice letter from a new person saying, I’m your new person, yada, yada. I still don’t take too much interest, It’s been a couple years and I’m in alot of pain so I don’t investigate whether old guy quit or what. I have no idea of course that Unum is feeling the economy finally, last I checked they were peachy. I expected this eventually, since it happens no matter who/what you are and (was wonder if you could sue for the total amount due? based bad faith,neway,other subject).
So, new person, oddly enough, eventually wants forms last person said phone call was fine for, etc.
Neway, I finish finally sending forms..
Just when this is done BAM, now @ end of quarter, like no delay, it’s like LEAVE ME ALONE, this is ridiculous.. I don’t have a life because I’m disabled and a vegetable, but for god sakes, I can only get so many people and myself to fill this crap out over and over again, that is where the harassment is. Not A DAY’S REST.
Asking More than a quarter is ridiculous, they know it pisses off the doctors. If you can’t walk, you are NOT going to grow new legs, that is SO stupid, leave it alone. What, are they next going to check on their life insurance polices and send G4S out to grave SITES? Geeze, SAVE MONEY AND STOP SENDING PEOPLE TO HOMES AND DOING NEEDLESS PAPERWORK. but anyway, we all know that.
So, I hadn’t found your site and maybe you could just comment on..
Since I already had a home visit semi-recently, within 2 years.. (He said he was from some other security place.:)
(They have already been inside, I have a quasi-caretaker.)
Do I care about meeting place.. This could be used as a delay?
I don’t even want to say too much on this Forum cause, even smart people probably know it’s here.
What does delay buy me? get me off their target? does it have to extend past june? The reports typically took them a month.
So, unless UNUM breaks the LAW and LIES and PURPOSELY does bad-faith or whatever, I’ve been paid a long time.
One condition caused a few others.. They’d stop paying quicker if I died and with the pain sometimes I wonder..
I am clearly disabled under all the things..
I usually just co-operate cause I know they can do whatever they want anyway and without $ I’m in pain and screwed and even with a long payment history to me finding the right attorney is still a pipedream and then they will settle and never have to settle based on the payout til I was 65 likely..
Anyway, that’s negative, I hate to think like that. I just pray to the universe things go somewhat like they have.
My rant is over, hopefully UNUM will make alot of money and They’ll leave the sick and disabled alone, it’s so shameful..
Hi Linda,
This is a shot in the dark-but in 2000-2001 I applied to UNUM for my Bi-polar DX disability. I had lost my job, my 401K and was on the verge of losing my home. I received a letter from UNUM telling me that Bi-polar is curable & therefore, ineligible.
Well, being Bi-polar, I was never able to do a good follow-up-or at least can’t remember if I did. Long story short- I have no documentation and not great recollection. That $3K/ month owed to me by UNUM would have made all the difference. Do I have any hope/recourse? The claim was filed in CA. Thank you for your wonderful and important work!
Thank yo
Do I
In my opinion your claim is lost, but just to be sure call a California attorney to find out what your rights are. In California, you may have some recourse. Thanks for postiing.
Hi Linda, I am on Unum and SS disability. Unum wants all my retroactive SS payments since oct 08. What shOUld I do? I need your advice.
please help, jim.
Please read all of the Social Security posts for SSDI on this blog. This should help you a great deal.
thank you. I have read some but I will continue.
jim