Short Term Disability: The Basics
Short-Term Disability Benefits
Just about everyone should be mindful of short-term disability benefits, especially if you are a working individual. How do you protect yourself in the event you get injured or sick and you are no longer able to work?
The prudent thing you can do is to inquire with your workplace to check if your employer has a group plan in effect. It is important for all employees to check the terms of their policy for all the particulars should they go on leave due to short term disability. An employee should know exactly how much of their income their insurer will cover. For example, many insurers may only cover approximately 60% of an individual’s salary. But this could vary from policy to policy.
An employee should also know for how long the benefits will last. Many policies allow for benefits that last anywhere from 6 months up to a year. Another important factor to keep in mind is the criteria for what the insurer considers to be justifiably disabled. Will you meet their criteria for what is considered “disabled” in order to qualify on disability benefits? You may not be surprised to learn that insurers have a tendency to deny claims for short-term disability benefits based on the applicant not meeting the criteria. This is why, in case you are denied your benefits, it is important to be mindful of the deadlines for the appeal process as set out by the insurer. Typically, an applicant has 90 days from the date of the denial of the claim to appeal the decision.
Appeal the Decision
If you do decide to take the appeal route, be sure to back up your claim as strongly as possible. You likely need to obtain a statement from your employer and physician and provide one yourself. Providing newly updated records either from your current doctor or another medical practitioner which were not previously provided to the insurer will also strengthen your case.
The Personal Injury Lawyers at Singer Kwinter can assist with this process by ensuring that the deadlines are met and your given the best chance of a successful outcome.
