Liberty Mutual Disability Insurance Denial Claims

Frankel & Newfield has had many successful outcomes for claimants whose long-term disability insurance policies have been delayed, denied or terminated by Liberty Mutual. Our Liberty Mutual disability law track record is strong, and we are proud of the help we have provided to clients with private and ERISA Liberty Mutual disability insurance policies.

Liberty Mutual Insurance company writes insurance policies for individuals and businesses around the globe and has more than 11,400 employees and offices in twenty-seven countries. Liberty Mutual long-term disability policies are sold to large and small companies, professional associations, and private individuals.

Liberty Mutual has created a website, MyLibertyClaim.com, where claimants are encouraged to securely and conveniently notify Liberty of a disability claim, submit Evidence of Insurability and download Medical Authorization forms. We advise any Liberty Mutual policy owner to be extremely careful if they decide to use this web-based portal to submit a disability claim.

Applying for Liberty Mutual disability insurance benefits requires submitting complex paperwork that the insurance company uses to evaluate your claim, and mistakes can put your claim at risk. Long-term disability insurance policies are sold with a promise to protect individuals if they become sick or injured and can no longer work. Employees who pay for their disability insurance policies through payroll deductions expect that after years of paying premiums, the contract for disability insurance will be honored. Unfortunately, that is not always the case.

Here are examples of the Liberty Mutual disability cases we have handled for clients.

ERISA Appeals – Liberty Mutual hired Medical Consultants Network (MCN) to conduct medical evaluations of a grieving mother who was devastated by her daughter’s sudden death. We aggressively defended our client, finding fault throughout the medical evaluation and failure to have our client examined in person. Liberty Mutual overturned its decision and awarded long-term disability benefits to our client.

Termination of Claim – Our client was a stock broker suffering from several co-morbid conditions and was on a claim with a monthly benefit of more than $12,000 a month. Liberty Mutual terminated his claim, stating that he was able to return to work. We worked with a vocational expert to destroy the arguments presented by Liberty Mutual and forced the company to recognize the scope and seriousness of our client’s illnesses. His claim was reinstated and he continues to receive his monthly benefits.

Termination of Claim – A 40 year old teacher from Connecticut suffers from chronic Lyme disease, Fibromyalgia and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. She had filed for her disability benefits through Liberty Mutual and had been on claim for a short period when Liberty Mutual abruptly terminated her claim. We demonstrated the many ways that Liberty Mutual failed to properly evaluate her condition. Liberty Mutual selectively reviewed limited medical records, failed to consider the cumulative effect of her illnesses, failed to consider her subjective complaints, and ignored findings from its own hired doctors. We developed a strong medical rebuttal, and she is now on claim.

Our blog discusses other Liberty Life disability cases that were reversed by federal judges. These cases provide insight into the tactics used by Liberty Life to deny benefits for long-term disability insurance claimants.

In Michigan, the denial was overturned based on the failure of another outside company that reviews medical records for insurance companies to examine the claimant in person. We applaud the Court’s decision in Pierzynski v. Liberty Life. A medical evaluation conducted by a company that is paid by the insurance company cannot by its very nature be objective.

Another blog item discusses Hayden v. Martin Marietta Materials, Inc., in which Liberty Life failed to provide a full and fair review of the claim. This time, Liberty failed to provide the hired medical professional with complete medical records, which is a flagrant violation of ERISA regulations. Insurance companies seeking to guard their coffers will often selectively provide medical records to doctors or medical review companies.

If you need help with your Liberty Mutual disability insurance claim, call Frankel & Newfield at 877-LTD-CLAIM (877-583-2524) to discuss your case and schedule a free consultation.