New Jersey Disability Lawyer Blog

Just recently, Bonny G. Rafel was successful in an appeal for a New Jersey woman who suffers from multiple conditions primarily associated with Crohn's Disease and the treatment necessary to treat this serious condition. MetLife Insurance Company denied her claim for Crohn's Disease. We knew that in order to succeed on her behalf, we would have to convince MetLife that the cumulative effect of her conditions and treatment impaired her ability to reliably function in any work setting full time. We coordinated our personalized efforts with her doctors who supported her claim and willingly completed our custom designed questionnaires to demonstrate that the treatment for her condition had actually caused some of the symptoms that now impair her. This includes Secondary Adrenal Insufficiency , a condition which often results from the long-term steroid regimen that accompanies treatment for Crohn's disease. Thanks to the help of her treating doctors, we were able to convince MetLife to reverse the denial just one week after submitting her appeal.

At Bonny G. Rafel we establish a good working relationship with our client's treating doctors to facilitate the exchange of information the insurance company is often lacking during their initial review.

Recently, I met with a 59 year-old medical professional who had been battling a degenerative muscular disease and was contemplating filing for disability benefits after years of battling through pain and limitations on the job. Despite the fact that his condition left him constantly having to send clients out to others in his field, this professional was reluctant to file for disability insurance because his experience in the field left him wary of the procedural hurdles the insurance company would throw in his way should he decide to make a claim for his rightful benefits. Even more shocking was that he was hesitant to make a claim despite paying eighteen plus years' worth of premiums.

Our team of lawyers and paralegals sat with him and together we prepared his submissions to the insurance company. He now enjoys the peace of mind that his claim has been approved, his life long professional practice ended respectfully and he has our firm as his liason with the insurance company so that he can focus on improving his health and daily life as much as possible.

If this story sounds like your own, don't let the fear of procedural hurdles and insurance company tricks prevent you from getting what is rightfully yours. Remember, this isn't charity, these are benefits that you rightly deserve, and even more importantly, have been paid for. If the prospect of dealing with insurance companies has left you wary of filing a claim for benefits even in the face of a disabling condition, hire a professional who has experience that will impact the outcome of your claim. A qualified attorney can take care of all the hurdles and roadblocks the insurance company puts up for you and make sure that you get the benefits and the quality of life that you deserve. Check our website, Bonny G. Rafel LLC

Ms. Rafel recently won an administrative appeal filed on behalf of her client suffering from Parkinson's Disease. Prudential Insurance Company had denied benefits claiming that there was no proof that the physical symptoms were so disabling as to render him unable to work as a retail stock broker. Prudential relied solely on its own medical consultant and nurse to support their case. Rafel pointed out her client's problems controlling his movement as well as the cognitive deficits that have affected his critical judgment skills and ability to recall. Rafel documented that medications for the Parkinson's Disease symptoms caused side effects that contribute to his inability to work. She elicited the cooperation of her clients' treating doctors, including Susan B. Bressman, MD a board certified Neurologist who specializes in movement disorders at the Department of Neurology at Beth Israel Hospital in New York City. Each doctor completed comprehensive questionnaires that Rafel staff formulated to respond to Prudential's review. Thankfully, benefits will now resume and hopefully continue until this client reaches the age of 70.

Bonny G. Rafel announces that she recently convinced US Life to reinstate the Business Overhead Insurance benefits to her client, an orthopedic surgeon, after denying benefits on the basis that he can still perform the duties of an orthopedist in an office based setting. The insurance policy was issued through the American Medical Association, and provides important business overhead expense insurance coverage to doctors who become unable to perform the material and substantial duties of their occupation due to disability. The company determined that the doctor was not totally disabled but only residually disabled, which did not obligate them to pay the benefits. Ms. Rafel argued that the specialty practice of her orthopedic surgeon client was conducting surgery and his inability to perform this crucial task qualified him for benefits, even though he could continue with his office practice and his income may not be affected.