Private Disability Income Claims For Doctors
Doctors commonly purchase “own occupation” private disability income insurance policies to provide them with replacement income in the event that they become disabled and unable to work in their chosen occupation. Unfortunately, doctors with disabling injuries or illnesses often face unreasonable denials, delays and challenges after submitting legitimate claims for the benefits they paid for and relied upon.
In an own occupation policy, being disabled is typically defined as being unable to perform the material and substantial duties of your occupation. Critical issues in physician-related disability cases include determining the definition of the physician’s occupation and the parameters of his or her duties.
This assessment often includes deciding whether the policy protects a doctor from disability in his or her own area of specialization, and not merely the ability to practice medicine. Often, insurers will deny doctors’ disability claims without consideration of whether their regular occupations are defined by their specialties, thus depriving doctors of the protections they actually purchased.
Experienced Attorneys · Fighting For You And Getting Results
Insurance companies determined to avoid paying full benefits often attempt to rewrite the definition of a physician policyholder’s occupation after a claim is made. For instance, an insurer may claim that even though a cardiac surgeon can no longer operate, he or she can still function as a doctor. This is an argument frequently used to deny total disability benefits while justifying residual (partial) benefits.
Disputes regarding the denial or undervaluation of physician disability claims are often fact-intensive inquiries that require the knowledge and insight of an experienced disability insurance litigation attorney. At Surrano Law Offices , we are nationally-recognized advocates for policyholders whose private disability income claims have been wrongfully denied, delayed, underpaid or mishandled by insurance companies intent on protecting their bottom line.
Attorney Charles Surrano is a frequent lecturer on the topics of own occupation insurance claims and insurance bad faith, sharing the knowledge and perspective he has gained from 25 years of hard-fought victories and multimillion-dollar verdicts and settlements in the area of disability income denials.
If you are a doctor whose private disability income claim has been unfairly denied or mishandled, we will put our decades of experience to work for you, helping you fight for the disability benefits that you need and deserve.
Contact Our Disability Income Insurance Policyholder Attorneys Today
Contact us to speak with a skilled lawyer about private disability income claims for doctors. Located in the Phoenix area, our law firm serves clients in Arizona and, in some cases, California, Nevada, and Kentucky. We welcome inquiries and referrals from individuals and other attorneys.