The Standard Disability Insurance Claims Lawyers
Capitan Law represents clients with long term disability insurance claims nationwide. We have extensive experience helping those who are insured by The Standard, which used to be known as Minnesota Mutual Life Insurance Company. They are the fourth largest group disability insurance company in the country.
A Tough, Experienced Long-Term Disability Firm
If you’re disabled due to an accident, injury or illness, it’s important that you and your family have the resources you need to weather the crisis. One way to protect yourself is with long-term disability insurance through a company like The Standard. However, insurers sometimes make mistakes with long-term disability claims, or they may act in bad faith to avoid pay a claim. If you have long-term disability coverage from The Standard and have had your claim denied, an experienced firm like Capitan Law can help you get the compensation you’re entitled to. Find out more by calling (267) 419-7888.
Why Hire A Lawyer?
You may be tempted to pursue your case yourself if your long-term disability claim is denied. However, we would strongly recommend that you hire an attorney to work with you on your case.
Disability cases can be very complex, and you may have a small window of time to appeal a denied claim. At attorney can keep track of the necessary dates and keep your case moving forward while you manage the rest of your life. Furthermore, you or a family member may be severely injured, limiting your available time to attend court proceedings, investigate your case, and so on.
Long-term disability policies and appeals are very complicated, requiring an in-depth understanding of the policy language and applicable law. Each insurer has its own specific rules and regulations for their policies, and that includes The Standard. An attorney’s access to resources like investigative teams and expert witnesses can help you walk away with more money when your case is over.
Why Choose Capitan Law?
After law school, attorney Joe Capitan immediately began working on disability cases as a member of a boutique firm in South Florida. Before founding Capitan Law, he worked with another disability firm in Philadelphia. In 2019, the website Super Lawyers named Capitan one its Rising Stars.
As a practice that focuses solely on disability claims, we have the experience and resources to get you the benefits you’re owed. To show we’re committed to our clients, we operate on a contingency fee system; you don’t pay us anything until the case is done and you’ve collected your compensation.
Disability Cases We Handle
We handle both short-term and long-term disability claims across a wide range of causes and insurers, including The Standard. Some of the disability cases we handle include:
- Back and spine conditions– Back and spine conditions can arise from many sources: auto accidents, workplace injuries, a bad fall at home, and more. The American Chiropractic Association says that back pain is the single leading cause of disabilities. This is especially true for people who work in very labor-intensive fields, such as the construction industry. A back or spine injury can make it impossible for you to work, leaving you entitled to benefits from either an employer-sponsored disability plan or a personal policy.
- Neurological and cognitive disorders– Neurological and cognitive disorders include things like brain trauma from an accident or a concussion, as well as degenerative conditions like Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia. These kinds of cases are extremely common; a 2018 study by St. John’s University reported that people with brain impairment live in 16 percent of U.S. households. These disorders often leave victims requiring extensive care, possibly for their entire day. These cases often fall under the parameters of long-term disability policies, so call us if your benefits have been denied.
- Upper extremity impairments– An injury to either of your upper extremities – that includes your entire arm, from your fingers and hand to elbow and shoulder – can make it difficult to work for an extensive period. Depending on the severity of the injury, there could be permanent loss of function. As such, benefits from a long-term disability policy are crucial to pay for things like medical care, lost wages, and more. Examples of upper extremity impairments include carpal tunnel syndrome, cubital tunnel syndrome, shoulder pain, an amputation, a lost limb, rotator cuff injuries, sports injuries like tennis elbow or golfers’ elbow, and more.
- Balance disorders– Balance disorders are a subset of neurological disorders. Injuries to the brain’s vestibular system, which is responsible for maintaining balance and coordination, can make it difficult to walk and have other life-altering consequences. Balance disorders are also some of the hardest conditions to approve when filing a disability claim with insurers like The Standard or government agencies like the Social Security Administration. An attorney from Capitan Law can look at your policy, determine what benefits you’re entitled to, and make sure you receive those benefits. Common balance disorders include vertigo, Ménière’s Disease, and Vestibular Neuritis (Labyrinthitis).
- Autoimmune diseases– Our body’s immune system is what helps us fight off bacteria and viruses, but sometimes an injury or illness can turn our own immune system against us. When that happens, the immune system begins attacking our organs, cells, and other issue. Some autoimmune diseases are easily managed with medication or other therapies, but others can cause serious health complications, including death. We can help you make sure you get the full benefits you’re due under your long-term disability policy. Some common autoimmune disorders are Diabetes, Multiple Sclerosis, Lupus, Rheumatoid Arthritis, and Sjogren’s Syndrome.
- Cardiac and circulatory disorders– Our circulatory system, which includes the heart and lungs, is crucial to our health because it helps us to breathe and pump blood throughout the body. As such, conditions that impact the health of that system – heart attacks, lung cancer, emphysema, coronary disease, strokes, congestive heart failure, Lymphedema, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, aneurysms, etc. – can drastically impact your ability to work or live a normal life. To get your full benefits under your long-term disability policy, hire an experienced disability attorney like those at Capitan Law.
All of these cases will also have quirks or special consideration depending on the state and the insurer. This includes companies like The Standard. Some policies from The Standard offer specific benefits for expenses like assisted living or a lifetime security benefit. We’ll look at your policy to determine exactly what you are entitled to. If The Standard denies you any benefit covered your policy, we can make sure you collect that benefit.
Long-Term Disability Statistics
- Access to short-term and long-term disability policies for U.S. workers is increasing, albeit slowly. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the percentage of private industry workers with access to long-term disability plans was 34 percent in 2018, up from 32 percent in 2008. For public sector workers, the figures were 38 percent for 2018 and 35 percent in 2008.
- According to the Council for Disability Awareness, just over 25 percent of today’s 20-year-olds will become disabled in some way before they retire. The council also reports that over 37 million Americans, making up about 12 percent of the population, are classified as disabled.
- Disability issues don’t just impact older Americans. The Council for Disability Awareness has reported that in December of 2012, there were over 2.5 million disabled workers in their 20s, 30s, and 40s receiving Social Security Disability (SSDI) benefits.
- Disability issues are also not exclusive to people with ongoing health conditions. A typical female worker who doesn’t smoke and lives a healthy lifestyle still has a 24 percent chance of being disabled at some point in her career. There’s a 38 percent chance that disability will last 5 years or longer, and the average length of that disability is 82 months. The figures are similar for typical male workers. They have a 21 percent chance of developing some type of disability during their career. The chance of that disability lasting more than five years and the average length of the disability is the same for male and female workers.
Contact a LTD Attorney Today
A disabling condition can put a tremendous emotional and financial burden on you and those who depend on you. If you have developed a disabling condition similar to any of those previously mentioned, don’t wait to give the dedicated attorneys at Capitan Law a call. We have a track record of aggressively fighting to get our clients every dollar they’re owed. Don’t wait another minute to get a qualified attorney on your side. Call us at (267) 419-7888 or reach out to us online to schedule your FREE consultation today.