While there is a tsunami of information available at the push of a button detailing the difficulties of obtaining group (ERISA governed) long term disability insurance benefits, here's a few practical tips that will help under certain circumstances. The singular circumstance of note for this brief discussion is that you have made an application for social security disability benefits. (Hopefully it was successful.) A surprising amount of beneficial information can come from that application and Hearing (if one is held). You should make every effort to obtain the complete SSD file to include in your claim file (or administrative record) in your long term disability insurance claim.
Very persuasive documentation can come from any written opinion by the Social Security Hearing Officer, which will provide opinion in favor of disability, well supported by medical and vocational information. The SSD file also often contains a more complete medical record that the LTD insurance claim file. It should be placed in its entirety (don't worry about duplication) in the LTD insurance file. Also, the SSD file may contain a detailed report from a medical exam (where the doctor did in fact examine you), with a well reasoned opinion supporting a work disability. This can be crucial in your LTD insurance file. Excellent vocational analysis by a vocational expert additionally may be in the SSD file, and absolutely should be provided to your LTD insurance company so that the vocational reality can not be ignored by your LTD insurer.
Another possible gem in the SSD file may be a complete audio recording of the Hearing, where you, the SSD examining doctor and perhaps the vocational expert all testified. This is the perfect opportunity to get your own spoken testimony into the record in the LTD appeal and federal lawsuit. It may well be your only opportunity to get your own testimony concerning your disease or injury and its effect on your ability to work before the federal judge, since live testimony and generally even deposition testimony, is precluded from long term disability insurance federal court cases.
Don't miss the wealth of supporting documentation (and perhaps live testimony) available in your SSD file, generally at no cost, that absolutely should be in your long term disability claim file in order to better your chances of a successful appeal of a denial of LTD benefits. Best regards, as always, Randy Noah









