Chronic pain and LTD benefits.

Have you been suffering from recurring pain for a lengthy amount of time? Are you experiencing pain from an injury that should have healed months, perhaps even years ago? Is that pain disrupting your life emotionally and physically? Are you finding it difficult to effectively perform your job as a result of this recurring pain? If you have been unable to work due to your chronic pain symptoms and you have long-term disability (LTD) coverage, you likely qualify for LTD benefits. What is Chronic Pain? Statistics show that approximately 6 million Canadians suffer from chronic pain, and...

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Mental illness and LTD benefits: a Sun Life Report

Sun Life recently released some internal statistics regarding mental health and long term disability claims. The report confirms what many in the industry have suspected for some time: LTD claims for depression, anxiety, and other mental illnesses are on the rise.  In fact, 30% of all long term disability claims are mental health related, which is more than the next two most common causes of disability combined, with cancer at 15% and accidents at 12%.   About the report. Sun Life insures more than six million Canadians.  It has vast amounts of health, employment, and other data related to...

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Medical conditions that qualify for LTD benefits.

You may be wondering which are the medical conditions that qualify for disability benefits? The truth is that any medical condition may potentially qualify for disability benefits. The analysis focusses on the extent of the functional disability caused by the medical condition, and whether the extent of functional disability meets the requirements for various disability benefits plans and programs. Which medical conditions qualify for disability benefits? Any medical condition may qualify for disability benefits. Generally speaking, most disability benefits programs in...

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Pre-existing conditions and LTD benefits.

A pre-existing condition is a condition that you previously received treatment for, that is in some way connected to the medical issue that is currently preventing you from working. It does not refer to any condition that you have ever had before. Sometimes an insurer will rely on an exclusion clause in your policy that says that you cannot receive benefits if you are suffering from a pre-existing condition. This is one way an insurance company tries to avoid paying you benefits. There are many instances in which insurers try to deny claims on the basis of a pre-existing condition and are...

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Addictions and LTD benefits.

If you struggle with addiction, whether with alcohol, drugs, or activities such as gambling, you may qualify for long-term disability benefits. However, much will depend on your employer’s group policy. Most do not preclude benefits due to addiction– but there are usually strict requirements regarding treatment and rehabilitation programs for qualification. There is also a difference between addiction involving legal substances, such as alcohol, cannabis, or painkillers prescribed by your healthcare provider– and illegal substances, such as heroin or cocaine. Jan A. Fishman will review your...

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Chronic fatigue syndrome and LTD benefits.

A person suffering from chronic fatigue can seek benefits from their long-term disability insurance policy if their employer provides it. Many insurance companies are leery of providing benefits, however. Medical professionals do not entirely understand the syndrome, and there isn’t a list of specific criteria or tests for diagnosing it. The good news is that you could still successfully recover benefits with a long-term disability claim in this situation. While it could be challenging, Jan A. Fishman could assist you. Common factors in a chronic fatigue syndrome diagnosis The science...

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