What You Need to Know about Chronic Pain Disability Claims

The National Institutes of Health reported that over 11 percent of Americans suffer from chronic pain, and 25.3 million adults have been victims of severe pain every day for the previous three months. These numbers provide a disheartening reminder of just how many people suffer from chronic pain on a daily basis. In some instances, the pain may create minor inconveniences. In other scenarios, chronic pain leaves people ailing and disabled with the pain overtaking every aspect of their lives.

Steps Toward Needing Long-Term Disability Insurance

If you yourself suffer from chronic pain, you may find it increasingly difficult to maintain a 40 hour work week. A doctor may diagnose you with chronic pain and advise that you do not return to work to ensure your health and wellness in the long-term.

Because of your inability to work, contacting your individual or group long-term disability insurance carrier may seem like the best option. However, a carrier will often review your application, and despite your treating doctor’s recommendation, they may still deny your disability claim even if you suffered a valid disability injury and followed all the rules for filing a claim.

Difficulty Locating the Source of Chronic Pain

Disability insurance cases that involve chronic pain always face unique challenges. Individual and group long-term disability insurance companies want solid, concrete medical evidence of a disability before agreeing to pay out monthly benefits, but chronic pain doesn’t always come with physical manifestations.

Unlike suffering from an injury that an MRI or X-ray can detect, chronic pain is something the patient feels. Doctors usually cannot pinpoint the cause of the pain, or they may believe that it stems from multiple causes. The difficulty of identifying the cause can also make it difficult to treat. Treatments that successfully help manage the pain may create other problems or stop working after a period of recovery. Your doctor may have to try a variety of methods before identifying the best treatment, prescriptions, and care for your particular injury.

Medical Documentation in Chronic Pain Disability Claims

Insurance companies heavily rely on medical documentation when deciding whether or not to approve a disability claim. It isn’t enough for your treating doctor to write a report that simply states that you’re unable to return to work. Rather, the documentation needs to clearly convey why you can’t and give as much in-depth detail as possible to ensure the insurance company cannot argue against the necessity of the disability claim.

Overall, you want as much medical evidence as possible to private that your condition is true and that you are entitled to payment under your group or individual disability policy.

Philadelphia Disability Claim Attorney

If you suffer from chronic pain and find yourself unable to work as a result, you need someone to assist you in understanding your options. A Pennsylvania ERISA claims lawyer can aid you in obtaining the individual and group disability benefits you truly deserve.

To schedule a disability policy analysis and claim consultation at no additional cost, call the disability lawyers at Edelstein Martin & Nelson at (215) 731-9900, today.

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