Long Term Disability Benefits For People With MS
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic disease with no known cure. While periods of remission are common, it often results in permanent long term disabilities. If you suffer MS and are unable to work, long term disability (LTD) insurance available through your employer or the Social Security Administration (SSA) can help make up for your lost income.
Will Employer-Provided LTD Policies Cover MS?
A common medical condition that creates problems within the central nervous system, MS can impact your health in a variety of ways. It can prevent you from performing certain tasks on your job and may eventually keep you from working completely. According to the Mayo Clinic, common symptoms include:
- Lack of coordination;
- Excessive fatigue;
- Dizziness and an uneven gait when walking;
- Tremors and pain in different body parts, decreasing fine motor skills;
- Slurred speech;
- Blurred or double vision;
- Pain in one or both eyes, eventually resulting in loss of sight.
MS is generally covered under employer-provided long term disability (LTD) insurance policies. However, it is vitally important for you to thoroughly document your condition. Visit your doctor regularly, get a firm diagnosis, undergo any recommended testing or treatment, and report new signs and symptoms as they develop. It is also a good idea to keep a journal documenting your condition and the impacts it has on work and other areas of your life. This can provide important evidence when eventually filing an LTD claim.
How To Protect Your Rights To LTD Benefits If You Have MS
The National Multiple Sclerosis Society offers an abundance of resources for people living with MS, including guidebooks answering common questions regarding long term disability insurance. Ways in which you can protect your rights to LTD benefits include:
- Thoroughly review the terms of any employer-provided LTD coverage you have, paying close attention to how disabilities are defined, coverage periods, and policy exclusions.
- Check with the SSA to see if you have earned enough work credits to be eligible for Social Security disability benefits. Even if you have an employer-provided policy, they may require you to apply for SSDI after a certain period.
- Your insurer or the SSA may want you to be examined by one of their physicians. Request someone who specializes in MS, ask to have any forms you will need to complete sent to you in advance, and make sure the results are sent to your doctor, who has the right to dispute findings.
- Keep information about your condition and your LTD benefits private. The SSA and insurance companies can use statements you make to others and things you post online against you.
Reach Out to Us Today for Help
If you have MS and are considering filing for long term disability, get Farrell Disability Law on your side. We protect you in dealing with insurers and the SSA, with the goal of getting you the maximum amount of benefits you deserve. To request a consultation in our office, call or contact our Orlando long term disability attorney online today.
