San Francisco Injury Lawyer Blog
Insurance companies employ bad faith tactics in different ways. There is no doubt about it, though, that no matter the way, insurance denial can wear people down. The following is a common scenario involving disability benefits. First, an insured person files a claim involving an injury. Then the insurance company approves it, which is surprising, especially if someone has a previous condition that became worse over the years. One of the most used tactics is to deny a claim based on a pre-existing condition. However, an injury can become worse due to work, and can be the reason a claim is approved. After that the insured files for short term disability benefits (STD), and after a certain amount of time, say 20 weeks, long term benefits go into effect, automatically.
But things can go wrong while a person is receiving their STD’s– such as the insurance company deciding to scrutinize the claim within the first few weeks of issuing the STD. Once that happens, it can be nothing but headaches and pain for the person seeking benefits. At that point the insurer may begin to ask for the same information over and over or they may ask that the insured have XRAY’S or MRI’S taken to prove the severity of an injury. Even if doctors and surgeons review the documents and confirm the severity of the injury, anyone else, such as a nurse, on the insurer’s medical staff can disagree with and override the findings, which results in the insured being cut off from benefits. When that happens, the insurance company will usually send the insured an appeals packet. This is when it is time to hire an attorney, as the appeals process can be lengthy (sometimes insurances companies claim they did not receive an appeal and ask to resend it over and over to various departments) and frustrating.
If you are seeking a results-oriented law firm to assist you with an insurance-related concern, contact the Brod Law Firm today. Our firm has over 10 years experience representing policyholders in insurance-related disputes. We have helped many clients in a wide range of insurance-related issues. We stand up to the powerful insurance companies, with their vast resources and arsenal of lawyers. With our knowledge and expertise, we help protect the rights of all policyholders and fight to ensure they are treated fairly and in good faith.