You
should be aware of:
Independent
Medical Evaluation
(IME) |
Unannounced
Visit by
Claims Adjuster |
| CPA
Office Visit |
Video
surveillance |
Home
Office Doctor calling
your attending physician |
Errors
by Brokers or Agents |
How do
you think your disability claim will be handled?
You
will complete and submit whatever claim forms are provided to
you by the insurance company.
You
will give your attending physician(s) forms to complete and
return them to the insurance company.
You
will expect to receive a monthly check in timely fashion for
the duration of your claim.
What
is reality?
Most
claimants, after completing their claim forms, will immediately
and unknowingly prejudice their rights.
Most attending
physicians, even with the best of intentions, also will prejudice
your rights . . . and won't even know it. Most attending
physicians have never been educated about the difference between
a Workers' Compensation claim response and that of an individual
or group disability claim.
You may
be requested to have an IME (independent medical evaluation).
This type of exam might last for an hour or three or more. How
should you conduct yourself at this exam? What should you bring
with you? Will the examiner, hired and paid for by the insurance
company, be as objective as you might wish? Will he/she be fair?
Is there anything you can do when the physician conducting the
exam says: "There are no objective findings"?
You may
be asked to provide a list of your pre-disability duties and
hours compared with your post-disability duties and hours.
That is, what you did prior to disability and what you are doing
now. This is one area that can make or break your claim.
The insurance
company pays you for five months and then stops. What are
your rights? What should you do? Roll over and play dead, consult
a consultant, or consult an attorney?
Objective
vs. subjective symptoms. Can the pain be measured or is
it related to what you tell someone? Example: You tell your
physician you feel nauseous. That's subjective. You throw up
in front of your physician. That's objective. Do different insurance
companies have different attitudes in this area? Can you do
something to help your claim?
A buyout!
A person representing the insurance company comes to your door,
often unannounced, "dangling" a check in front of you. Should
you grab the bait or just mouth it with the option of spitting
it out? Should you accept this check and give up your claim,
as well as your insurance policy? If you don't accept, should
you accept it in round two, in round three?
And,
how much should you accept should a buyout appeal to you?
Do you know what key advantage there is for the insurance company
if you should accept?
