It sounds pretty simple—if you cannot work because an accident hurt you or illness struck you down, your insurance should provide you with disability benefits that replace a certain percentage of your former income.

Unfortunately, it is not that easy.

Filing a Claim with an Unum Disability Claim Denial Lawyer

The following constitute some of the injuries and illnesses that often lead to valid disability insurance claims:

• Traumatic brain injuries (TBIs)– Traumatic brain injuries take place when you hit your head on another object or your head moves around with enough force to cause the brain to strike the inside of the skull. They often result from motor vehicle accidents, falls, hitting hard objects, or violent assaults. Even mild traumatic brain injuries can cause serious symptoms such as dizziness, difficulty concentrating, sensitivity to light and sound, and memory problems. Such side effects can keep a person from working for weeks or months. More serious brain injuries can leave victims with cognitive deficits that prevent them from ever working again.
• Spinal cord injuries – The spinal cord is the bundle of nerves that connects the brain to the rest of the body. It allows electrical signals to pass back and forth between the brain and our bodies, allowing us to move around and function properly. Consequently, damage or injury to the spine can produce catastrophic results. In incomplete spinal cord injuries, victims still have some feeling and functionality below the site of the injury; the potential exists to improve with rehabilitation and time. On the other hand, in a complete spinal cord injury, victims cannot feel or move anything below the injury site—usually a permanent condition.
• Accidental amputations – Serious accidents can result in the loss of your extremities or limbs. While prosthetics have improved tremendously during the past few decades, no prosthetic hand or arm comes anywhere close to the functionality of a person’s natural body parts. As a result, many people who suffer accidental amputations are unable to return to the same work that they performed before their injuries.
• Catastrophic injuries – A catastrophic injury causes permanent and substantial impairment, and includes the injuries discussed above. Other catastrophic injuries may damage a person’s hearing or vision. These injuries could easily prevent a person from working for weeks, months, or years.
• Serious physical and mental illnesses – Serious illnesses such as cancer, major depressive disorders, kidney failure, heart disease, or post-traumatic stress disorder can qualify as conditions resulting in disabilities. Many insurance companies fight valid disability insurance claims made on the basis of mental health conditions, so anyone making such a disability insurance claim should speak to a disability insurance claim attorney or ERISA lawyer before taking any claim action.

Unum Disability Insurance Denials: A Checkered Past

Unum claims, “The Company is committed to serving its customers with the highest standards of business ethics and in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.” Significant concerns about the way the company handles disability insurance claims, however, have prompted regulators to pursue prior legal action against Unum.