Most people don’t think about their disability benefits until they need some kind of financial support. It is often only after a diagnosis of a major malady or an unexpected injury that people need to explore the details of their long-term disability insurance coverage.
Employers offer workers in a variety of professions benefits that may include disability insurance. Long-term disability insurance helps replace wages people cannot earn due to disabling medical conditions.
Such benefits play a crucial role in someone’s financial stability, and they are subject to certain federal regulations. The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) protects workers who depend on certain types of employer benefits. Someone preparing for a long-term disability benefits claim for an ERISA-governed policy may want to undergo a thorough medical evaluation before submitting a claim.
In-depth testing can improve the chances of success
The same medical condition can be vastly different for two different patients. What leaves one person unable to get out of bed and dress themselves may only slow down another person. Professionals reviewing a claim for long-term disability benefits need clear medical evidence that a condition significantly limits someone’s functional abilities and prevents them from working. A simple diagnosis or records of a few medical appointments may not be enough to meet that standard.
There are several kinds of in-depth testing available that can produce useful evidence about the extent of someone’s disabling medical condition. A functional capacity evaluation is one such test. Conducted over the course of several hours, testing that looks at someone’s functional abilities can evaluate both the extent of someone’s symptoms and the likelihood of fraud.
Undergoing such testing prior to filing a claim might mean that an applicant has more robust evidence supporting their need for benefits. The reports established after such tests can help demonstrate the practical impact a condition has on someone’s life and ability to work. Testing could also prove useful to those preparing them for an appeal, especially because they may only have one appeal available to them.
Learning more about the rules that govern ERISA long-term disability benefit claims can help people to more effectively navigate the claims process. Those with the right medical evidence are in a better position to seek out the benefits they need if they become unable to work.