Insurance Claims Disability Insurance Claims No one expects to become ill or suffer a potentially career-ending injury which will threaten their livelihood or ability to support their family. Unfortunately, often due to no fault of our own, those things do happen. In the workplace, we have been assured that we have the best disability package there is on the market and feel safe and secure that our income stream will continue to flow. Many companies provide benefits for their employees who may become ill or have non-work-related injuries which are designed to provide income during the period of disability. Typically, the company will continue a salary for a limited period of time or provide what is called a short-term disability (STD) benefit. If the disability continues for a longer period of time, the company will often provide a group policy of long-term disability (LTD) insurance. This is usually administered and funded by a life insurance company, and the entitlement to income replacement benefits is decided with reference to a test of "total disability". The definition of total disability varies from policy to policy and insurance company to insurance company, but generally it will be defined in relation to an ability to substantially carry out the employment duties or a certain percentage of them. In many cases, total disability does not mean that a person is unable to do all aspects of the job, but rather the more important aspects of the job, even if there are still some things the employee can still do. Unfortunately, disputes arise between insurance companies and employees as to whether or not an illness or injury exists or is severe enough to cause total disability. Such disputes can result in the refusal to pay benefits or a decision to cut off benefits once they have been started. It may seem at times to an injured person that no matter what he or she tries to do to prove entitlement, the insurance claims representative will say it isn't good enough, or find some reason to deny payment. Stephen Shanfield has many years of experience dealing with insurers who are determined not to pay benefits which are properly owing. We have the expertise to do what it takes to level the playing field and enforce the rights of our clients. Often time limits for pursuing claims can be short and legal advice at an early stage can be the difference between being successful or unsuccessful in a case. If you believe that you have been wrongfully deprived of LTD benefits, why not give Stephen Shanfield a call at (519) 258-3338 today to arrange to discuss your case? Life Insurance Claims One would think that there should be nothing simpler than collecting on a life insurance policy one a loved one has passed away. Believe it or not, there are circumstances under which insurance companies will deny the payment of life insurance, even once you have provided proper proof of death. In many cases, the denial is based upon allegations of policy violations which are simply not true or for which explanations can be given which will result in payment. If you have had difficulty collecting life insurance perhaps one of our professionals can be of assistance to you. Call Stephen Shanfield to discuss you case today, at (519) 258-3338. Fire Insurance Claims One of the most devastating losses a family can suffer is the damage or loss of a home by fire. The disruption of life and the difficulty associated with replacing virtually all of your belongings can be a test of a family's strength, without the added burden of having to deal with an insurance company that seems determined to repair or rebuild your home or replace your belongings with inferior material or worse, not at all. Issues such as suitability of alternate accommodation during repair, meal allowances, replacement of clothing, possible loss of goods which your insurance does not cover, cleaning vs. replacement, and others often call for the intervention of a lawyer to marshall the appropriate resources to ensure your claim is fairly and properly resolved. Call Stephen Shanfield at (519) 258-3338 to discuss the services that we can provide to you if you have suffered a fire loss.