r/LongTermDisability

I’m looking for advice from anyone who has dealt with BOTH SSDI and ERISA/LTD claims.

I stopped working in early 2024 due to chronic back/nerve issues after spinal surgery. I’ve been on LTD through a large insurance company since mid-2024.

I have an SSDI ALJ hearing scheduled later this year. My SSDI attorney was originally referred/paid through the insurance company’s SSDI assistance program.

I was just denied continued LTD benefits at the “any occupation” transition. Their denial basically says they believe I can perform sedentary work despite chronic pain, permanent restrictions, positional limitations, and ongoing treatment.

They relied heavily on:

• an older FCE
• “normal gait/strength” office exams
• transferable skills analysis finding sedentary supervisory/customer service-type jobs

I now feel like I may need:

1. an ERISA/LTD attorney for the appeal
2. possibly a different SSDI attorney before the hearing

Has anyone:

• switched SSDI attorneys before an ALJ hearing?
• dealt with LTD denial while waiting for SSDI?
• used an insurance company-referred SSDI attorney and felt comfortable (or not)?

I’m trying to be strategic and not panic-react, but I’m overwhelmed right now.

I have an extremely bad case of POTS and am having a harder time keeping up at work. I've seen a half dozen specialists and am getting as much benefit as I can from medications.

I'm thinking about going on STD/LTD. My plan gives me 66% of my salary. I work remotely and have an accommodation for 30 hrs/week.

At any time, I can inform my work I want to go back to working 40 hrs/wk. 66% of this salary would obviously be higher (1.33x) than 66% of my current salary.

Here is my question. If I make the change to 40 hrs and THEN apply for STD/LTD after working a couple weeks/months, would that raise red flags and threaten my claim? Thanks

Hi, my name is Rob, nice to meet you all! I’m currently helping my older sister sort through a stressful situation after her disability insurance claim was denied, so now we decided to figure out how to find disability lawyer and try again. Does anyone have experience with disability insurance lawyers who mostly focus on denied LTD claims? We’re based in Toronto, but we’re open to speaking with someone anywhere in the GTA or elsewhere in Ontario if they handle these kinds of cases.

Thank you!!

TL,DR:

• When should I apply for SSDI with Brown&Brown - the firm that was recommended to me by my employer's LTD insurance (DMBA - GRP)?
• Are there often very long gaps between when LTD ends and SSDI starts?
  • Is there anecdotal evidence that employers will bridge your LTD knowing you have n SSDI application initiated?
• What is the average experience with this?
• Do I go ahead and apply or wait on GRP to green-light me?

Background:

In my LTD orientation, I was told GRP would let me know when to apply, would assist me, and to use Brown&Brown. (I accept this as a good recommendation because it behooves them financially to have a successful SSDI program).

My concern is in knowing that it can take a very long time for an SSDI application to yield approval and payment. My LTD is approved through September. Now, I *might* be approved for more LTD but the unknown feels risky. I am leaving the US in September and want to complete the application/medical exams before leaving. In an effort to be proactive, I'm reluctant to wait on GRP to tell me to start the application AND I am uncomfortable asking because remaining on LTD is a much better situation financially due to the high salary it is maintaining - don't want to poke the bear in a sense.

I have been mentally exhausted and planning to continue my leave. Do you or anyone you know been terminated while on medical leave of absence ? I'm nearing the end of my 6 months and still do not feel better, my health care provider is ready to support my claim. I'm pretty sure i will be let go as soon as i join back so looking at options for long term disability leave. I still haven't utilized my accrued leaves. Can i use those ?

Has anyone been out on long term leave for mental health at Amazon ? what happens to your Benefits/RSU/Salary ? what has been your experience ? and how to proceed with it.

Any advice is highly appreciated.

I am currently on LTD. I have been out of work for 8 months and I have at least another 2 months before I return to work. My job has told me they are demoting me but keeping my pay the same when I return, but that was told to me when I thought I might return in the next few weeks before I knew I was demoted to a harder job that I will fail at. I know they want to fire me which is why they demoted me because they know I can’t do the job.

My question is: if I’m fired what happens to my LTD? If I resign before getting fired do I lose my LTD? If I go back to work and work a few days and realize I can’t handle the job can I get back in LTD?

I’m trying to figure out my next steps. I have been at this job for 7 years and have worked up to a supervisor position only to be demoted to a more stressful position.

Thank you for any help.

Has anyone here been approved for LTD but in a closed period, and then had to continue providing ongoing documentation to extend benefits?
A few questions:
Is it normal to have to keep proving disability every few months even after approval?
How detailed do your doctor notes need to be for continuation (especially with complex conditions like POTS, Chiari, etc.)?
Have you had issues with inaccurate medical notes (like symptoms not being documented correctly), and how did you handle getting them corrected?
For those who have seen multiple specialists (cardio, neuro, etc.), did one provider’s notes carry more weight than others?
Has anyone had a situation where a “good day” at an appointment affected how their condition was documented?
How long did it take to receive your claim file/administrative record after requesting it?
Just trying to understand what’s typical in the review/continuation process and how to make sure everything is documented correctly moving forward.

Last year, I was approved for disability due to a large fibroid through American Fidelity . I was approved and had it extended for mental health. Originally, it was short term, but became long term. Last October, I decided to go back to work. Well, within a matter of weeks, I started having health issues. I'm dealing with perimenopause. I passed out and ended up in the hospital. I'm dealing with heart issues and severe brain fog as well as a lap band that is making it near impossible to sleep at night. I spoke to my adjuster (who was very supportive when I was on disability). He told me everything looked good for me to continue my long term disability. I would go out on anemia, which was put in my original claim. Well, there was a gap in care. I was diagnosed with anemia back in October 2024. I was anemic after my surgery. I was told to take iron. My doctor ordered blood work back in April 2025. I didn't get it done till October 2025, which showed I was anemic. I did everything they asked me to do. I sent my records, but they kept asking for more and I was getting very confused. So I decided to file under Met Life, the policy I had with my employer when I went back to work. That has been even more of a nightmare. They wanted my to apply for EDD, which shocked me, because teachers usually don't pay into it. Since I was employed less than a year, they wanted to see my medical records from last year. They're claiming the anemia was a pre-existing condition. That even if I had my iron ordered as part of my blood panel it's pre-existing. They want more records and a note from my doctor. They said my doctor never put me out on disability. He did back in November and signed the AFI paperwork, but I don't want to tell them at AFI.

At this point, I don't see any other solution, but to get an attorney. Both claims haven't been denied, but I just want to know how to best proceed without getting a denial. However, I'm worried about the costs. The attorney told me today that things can be done on a contincency, which roughs out to be 5K. I asked her to review my paperwork to see if I have a case. My parents are supporting me and, well, they aren't the nicest and most supportive people. Any suggestions?

I was approved for disability retirement over 2 months ago. Sedgwick continued to pay me for 2 months. I contacted them and told them that they should not be paying me and I have the money they paid me. i had so many issues with the agent who was assigned to me. its as if she was intentionally trying to end my disability. she lied about never receiving my doctors paperwork to continue my disability. when I told her I applied for disability retirement, i learned that she never sent over any paperwork in support of my claim. she went in my VA medical records and tried to find anything to support a denial. i had no clue she was allowed access to those records. I just happened to call the retiree board to see what records they needed. they asked if Sedgwick had information about my severe vision loss. i said yes. they said she never sent that to them. I was told to send all records over the past year from any doctors who care I was under.

When I called Sedgwick, the agent seemed surprised that my disability retirement was approved. she said she had not been sent any information about. she would stop payments. Should i go get a cashiers check and send them the money or make a request for them to take it out of the acct they deposited in it in?

My wife has a group benefits plan with Sun Life Financial and has been on LTD for 2+ years. She recently has been deemed unable to work and has transitioned to CPP Disability with a Sun Life LTD top up. She has been paying the Extended health/dental premiums thru her employer and continued to be on the benefits plan. This month, her premium was returned to her and suddenly she is no longer on the extended health/dental group benefit plan. This coincides with a outstanding vacation pay direct deposit from her employer that came out of the blue. No notice was given to her that this was about to happen. I cannot find any info in her Group Benefit booklet. Does anyone have any insight on how this works? Does this mean we no longer are eligible for the extended health/dental?

I work for large company and was on leave for past 8 months. can they fire me during my leave or they will wait when I come back? Do I need to consult employment lawyer for that?