Many have coped with disability and the battles that must be fought when asking for disability benefits at the workplace. A reader was anxious about demanding these benefits at the workplace, and here’s what those who have experienced it had to say.

Don’t Delay The Process

If you have a disability that is making it difficult for you to function at work and you require certain benefits, it is best to ask for them sooner rather than later. Under the Americans with Disabilities Act, it is illegal and punishable to discriminate against or fire someone for their disability.

A Chattanooga long-term disability lawyer has advised such people to ensure they have complete support from their doctors and only then go forward with applying for disability benefits. You need a helpful doctor by your side who is willing to do the paperwork, and provides comprehensive information about your diagnosis, treatment plan, limitations, and restrictions.

Have A Lawyer By Your Side

When it is a case of long-term disability, you need to consult a lawyer. The paperwork and process can often be lengthy. Without an attorney by your side, you might fail to cope with these and even miss out on various legal technicalities that are a part of the disability benefits.

Hiring a lawyer does not necessarily have to be very expensive. Many Chattanooga  long-term disability lawyers are willing to review the case without charging any fee initially. Some firms review claim denial letters without any payment and even help clients understand why their claims were denied in the first place.

Expect Minor And Major Setbacks

There is a process in place to determine benefits for short-term, long-term, and finally, federal disability. Although this might seem straightforward at the outset, there are many obstacles in the way, and you must be prepared to face some minor as well as major setbacks. For example, disability insurers might deny your claim right away. Do not stress out when these setbacks happen. Plan alternative ways of pursuing the benefits with your lawyer.

An attorney knows their way around such cases, and you can rely on them to ensure that your paperwork for claiming the insurance is completed successfully. Even if you manage to get your disability benefit, it might be so that you lose out on other benefits. Be mentally prepared for these setbacks.

O’Donnell’s case is a good one to understand this. His insurer had canceled the disability benefits he had appealed for even though his medical information had remained the same. However, since he had a lawyer at his aid, he was able to appeal to the insurance company, and eventually, after six months, his claim was re-approved. While O’Donnell is quite unsure of why his claim was rejected in the first place, he is sure the approval had a lot to do with the fact that an attorney was present.

Know Your Rights

While claiming benefits from the workplace, you must be fully aware of your rights as a state citizen and an employee of a workplace. There are many avenues through which you can read up about the various laws in place pertaining to disability insurance claims and other benefits in the workplace. Reading up and knowing about your rights provides confidence in dealing with the issue, and it is also the best way to know whether or not you are being cheated or your rights are being violated.