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As a chiropractor, you spend years learning how to help people return to health after long periods of illness and physical adjustment. Being a chiropractor is a physically demanding job. If you become unable to work due to injury or illness and want to apply for disability benefits yourself- you may be surprised at how difficult the process will be for you. In this article, we will talk about:
- Why it’s so difficult to file a long-term disability claim as a chiropractor;
- How to create a winning claim; and
- How to get a professional evaluation of your disability insurance claim.
The Challenges of Filing a Long-Term Disability Claim as a Chiropractor
Although medical professionals spend a lot of time and effort filling out medical forms for disability claims, their own insurance claims will be different. In fact, it is much more difficult to get a claim approved as a chiropractor than it is for someone who does not work in the medical field. Why is that? Because the insurance company looks at your case from a financial standpoint. They look at how much money it will cost them to provide you with benefits throughout your illness or disability. The longer it could potentially take you to get back to work, the less likely they are to approve your claim.
In addition to your regular salary, you may have a rider that helps you replace what you lost during your illness or injury. For example, if you are out of work for a year and come back to work, you will probably have patients who have had to seek medical care from another provider. This means your income will be much lower than it was before you were injured. A recovery rider will help support you while you rebuild your business.
Build a Winning Claim
Read your policy. Every claimant is advised to do this. Now that you are the patient, you need to read your policy thoroughly to understand what you will need to provide to get a claim approved. A group policy is different from an individual policy, so if you work for yourself, your benefits will be different from most of your patients.
Here are some tips for building a strong claim:
Tip #1: Gather Strong Medical Evidence
Just as you fill out these forms for your patients, you need to collect these forms from your doctors to prove your limitations. Make sure your doctor notes your pain levels and any psychological side effects of the disease, such as depression. Remember to collect records from all of your doctors.
In addition to medical evidence, you will also need financial evidence. Keep your accounting records in good order so you can quickly answer any questions that arise.
Tip #2: Anticipate Surveillance
With a large claim like that of a medical professional, you can bet that you will be under surveillance. Surveillance is perfectly legal. An investigator will stake out your home and take photos and videos of you. They will even go to your neighbors’ houses and ask questions about your daily activities. They will use all of this against you if they can.
Tip #3: Stay Off Social Media
There is a high probability that your social media accounts are being monitored. We recommend that you stay off social media completely until you return to work. The insurance investigator will also use your account against you as well.
Tip #4: Do Not Try to Return to Work Too Quickly
As a chiropractor, you may be more in tune with your body more than the average person. If you own a chiropractic clinic, you know that patients and staff depend on you. Resist the urge to return to work too soon. Pushing yourself before you are ready could mean injuring yourself more than you already are, losing your long-term disability case, and possibly making a mistake that could land you in court.
Request a Free Policy Evaluation
If you are considering purchasing a disability insurance policy or have recently purchased a policy, we can help you understand what you are entitled to and whether there are any deficiencies in your coverage that could lead to a denied claim. It is easy for individual policyholders who are not trained to read insurance policies to misread or misunderstand the disability policy. As part of our evaluation, we will explain what everything means to you in your situation.
Some of the aspects of your policy that we will review include:
- Total versus residual disability;
- Own occupation versus any gainful occupation;
- Mental and nervous disability benefit limitations; and
- Benefit limitations for self-reported conditions.
Get Help with Your Long-Term Disability Claim
As a chiropractor, it can be challenging to get a long-term disability claim approved due to the significant cost to the insurance company. They will try to find any reason to deny your claim. By providing strong medical and financial evidence, keeping a low profile, and not rushing back to work too soon, you can create a solid case for disability.
Using an experienced disability attorney will help you protect yourself from insurance investigators. The Ortiz Law Firm is based in Florida but represents claimants across the country. Get a free, no obligation consultation by calling (888) 321-8131. We can help you evaluate your claim to determine if you are eligible for long-term disability benefits and how to move forward with the process.