An anxiety disorder can severely impact your life, including your ability to perform at work. Unfortunately, mental health disorders often don’t receive the recognition they deserve compared to physical ailments. This lack of understanding can lead your employer and insurance provider to question the necessity of a long-term disability (LTD) claim for anxiety.
The challenges of managing anxiety while navigating the complexities of LTD insurance claims can feel overwhelming. However, if your LTD claim is denied, it’s important not to lose hope. That’s when the assistance of a Toronto disability lawyer provides crucial support and advocacy.
In this blog post, we’ll outline why your LTD claims for an anxiety disorder may be denied and how a Toronto disability lawyer fights for the benefits you deserve.
Understanding Anxiety Disorders
Anxiety disorders involve more than just feeling nervous or stressed out. They are complex mental health conditions that can significantly impact your daily life. Symptoms may include:
- Excessive worrying
- Fidgeting or pacing
- Fatigue
- Difficulty concentrating
- Feeling tense or experiencing muscle aches and pains
- Sleep disturbances
- Panic attacks
- Nausea, chest pain or headaches without a clear medical cause
How Do Anxiety Disorders Affect Your Professional Life?
Anxiety disorders can significantly impact various aspects of your professional life, including:
- Decreased Productivity: Persistent worry, racing thoughts and difficulty concentrating can hinder your ability to focus on tasks and complete them efficiently.
- Interpersonal Challenges: Anxiety can affect your ability to communicate effectively with colleagues, supervisors and clients. Social anxiety, in particular, may make it difficult to engage in meetings, networking events and presentations.
- Absenteeism: This can occur due to the need to manage anxiety symptoms, avoid triggering situations, or cope with physical symptoms such as panic attacks or gastrointestinal issues.
- Physical Symptoms: Anxiety can manifest in various physical symptoms, such as muscle tension, headaches, gastrointestinal issues or fatigue. These symptoms can interfere with your ability to perform job duties and may lead to increased sick leave or medical appointments.
Possible Reasons Your Anxiety Disorder LTD Claims Were Denied
Several reasons contribute to the denial of long-term disability (LTD) claims for anxiety disorders. When in doubt, consult a Toronto disability lawyer for information about your unique case. Some common grounds for denial of LTD claims include:
Insufficient Medical Evidence
The insurance provider may argue that there is insufficient medical evidence to support the severity and impact of your anxiety disorder on your ability to work. This may occur if medical documentation does not adequately demonstrate the extent of your symptoms, treatment history or functional limitations.
Failure to Meet Eligibility Criteria
Your LTD policy may have specific eligibility criteria that must be met to qualify for benefits. Your claim could be denied if you do not meet these criteria, such as minimum hours worked or waiting periods.
Pre-existing Condition Exclusion
Some LTD policies contain exclusions for pre-existing conditions, which may include anxiety disorders. If your anxiety disorder was considered pre-existing within the terms of the policy, your claim could be denied, or coverage may be limited.
Subjective Nature of Symptoms
Anxiety disorders are often characterized by subjective symptoms such as worry, fear and psychological distress. Insurance providers may be more inclined to deny claims for conditions with subjective symptoms, as they can be difficult to measure or quantify objectively.
Lack of Compliance with Treatment
Your claim may be allowed if you comply with recommended treatment plans or therapies with valid reasons, such as intolerable side effects or financial constraints.
Consult a Toronto Disability Lawyer after Your LTD Claims Denial
At Lecker & Associates, our priority lies in your well-being, not just financial gain. Our skilled team of disability lawyers in Toronto will vigorously pursue your LTD claim. We have the expertise to challenge insurance companies on your behalf, employing strategies that level the playing field.
Call 416.223.5391 or complete our contact form to book a consultation with our Toronto disability lawyers, which may be no charge.
