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Long-term disability (LTD) insurance benefits are designed to replace your wages if you become disabled and unable to work. Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company, or Mass Mutual, offers a variety of disability insurance policies. You may have received the policy as part of a group benefits plan offered by your employer, or you may have purchased an individual disability insurance (IDI) plan.
When you file a disability insurance claim with Mass Mutual, you expect to receive an approval letter and the benefits you were promised when you enrolled. Unfortunately, it is much more likely that you will receive a Mass Mutual disability denial letter instead. Long-term disability insurance companies like Mass Mutual often do not pay out the benefits they should, and even legitimate disability claims are denied.
As a disability insurance attorney, Nick Ortiz has represented numerous clients with their long-term disability claims against insurance companies like Mass Mutual. If you’ve found this page, you’re probably a disability claimant in need of professional legal services in connection with a long-term disability insurance policy or disability income policy purchased from Mass Mutual, including any of the following:
- An ERISA appeal of a Mass Mutual denial of long-term disability benefits.
- A non-ERISA appeal of a Mass Mutual denial of long-term disability benefits.
- A lawsuit against Mass Mutual for the wrongful denial of a long-term disability claim.
It is important to seek legal advice as soon as possible to preserve your options, as you may only have a limited time to file an appeal or file a lawsuit. Disability insurance lawyers can also help you determine whether your claim is governed by ERISA disability law. ERISA governs most group disability insurance policies.
Why Would My Long-Term Disability be Denied?
Mass Mutual disability insurance requires that you meet the policy’s definition of disability as defined in the policy. If you don’t meet this description, you will receive a denial letter, usually by email or mail, explaining why your disability claim does not meet the definition of disability.
Most Mass Mutual claims are denied because the medical records or doctor’s statements submitted to support the claim. This may be due to a discrepancy in your medical records, or Mass Mutual may have your claim reviewed by an independent doctor who disagrees with your treating physician.
Your claim may also be denied as a result of surveillance. Mass Mutual will look at your social media accounts and may even hire a private investigator to conduct video surveillance of your daily activities. If the surveillance shows you engaging in activities that contradict the restrictions listed in your medical records, Mass Mutual will attack your credibility to support their claim denial.
Another common reason for a denial is failure to provide timely notice to the insurance company. This is a technical issue, not a substantive issue with your claims, but it can still prevent a claim from being approved. Claimants should keep this in mind when considering filing a claim.
It Is Important to Take Immediate Action to Preserve Your Rights
There are steps you can take if your claim is wrongfully denied or terminated. You have the right to appeal a wrongful denial of benefits and, if necessary, to file a lawsuit against Mass Mutual.
Appeals
The denial letter will explain the steps in the appeal process and your time frame for filing an appeal. Many insurance policies give claimants 180 days to file an appeal, but we have also seen time frames as short as 60 days. This may seem like a long time, but gathering the medical evidence you need to support your disability claim can be a long, exhausting process. Disability attorneys can help you gather the medical evidence you need to receive benefits
Lawsuits
Mass Mutual policies limit the time you have to file a lawsuit against them. In addition, the time it takes to get a case through the court system can take anywhere from one to two years. The longer claimants wait to file a lawsuit, the longer they will have to wait for results.
It is critical that those filing appeals or lawsuits get legal assistance from a disability expert. Our disability attorney, Nick Ortiz, and his legal team have years of practical experience with ERISA and disability courts. The Ortiz Law Firm can act as the intermediary between you and Mass Mutual, ensuring that your appeal is handled correctly and fairly. Dealing with insurance companies like Mass Mutual can be difficult, so let us look after your appeal.
Why Should I Hire the Ortiz Law Firm?
If your claim for long-term disability benefits has been wrongfully denied or terminated, it is important to find an attorney with extensive experience handling LTD claims, appeals, and lawsuits.
The Ortiz Law Firm was founded by Florida disability attorney Nick Ortiz, who has over a decade of litigation experience and has successfully handled countless long-term disability appeals and lawsuits. He represents claimants nationwide and has recovered millions in denied disability benefits for his clients.
We will prepare and file your internal administrative appeal with the insurance company, gathering medical and opinion evidence to maximize the chances that your LTD claim will be approved or reinstated. If your internal appeals are “exhausted”, we are prepared to file a lawsuit against the insurance company. We will make every effort to obtain a favorable outcome.
Nick Ortiz is an Experienced Mass Mutual Long-Term Disability Lawyer
As an experienced long-term disability attorney, Mr. Ortiz approaches each case with intelligence and experience. He is familiar with the tricks and tactics used by insurance companies to deny legitimate claims. Mr. Ortiz uses this knowledge to maximize your chances of getting the long-term disability benefits you deserve.
Attorney Fees
The Ortiz Law Firm handles long-term disability claims on a contingency fee basis, which means that our fee is a percentage of the benefits recovered. If there is no recovery, there is no fee.
Request a Free Case Evaluation
The attorneys at the Ortiz Law Firm are committed to helping all disabled workers recover benefits that have been wrongfully denied. We offer a free case evaluation to discuss your claim and how we may be able to assist you. If Mass Mutual has denied or terminated your disability insurance benefits, our disability attorney can help you determine the best way to get the benefits you deserve. Call us at (888) 321-8131 for a free case evaluation. Mr. Ortiz would be honored to discuss your unique situation and explore your options.
Request a Free Policy Evaluation
If you are considering purchasing disability insurance or have recently purchased a policy, we can help you understand what you are entitled to and whether there are deficiencies in your coverage that could lead to a denied claim. It is easy for individual policyholders who are not trained to read insurance policies to misread or misunderstand the disability policy. As part of our evaluation, we will explain what everything means to you in your situation.
Some of the aspects of your policy that we will review include:
- Total versus residual disability;
- Own occupation versus any gainful occupation;
- Mental and nervous disability benefit limitations; and
- Benefit limitations for self-reported conditions.
