The Challenges Analysts Face When Filing For Long Term Disability Insurance Benefits

An analyst collects, stores and analyzes data, which may include areas such as sales numbers, market research, logistics, linguistics, or other behaviors. Analysts bring technical expertise to ensure the quality and accuracy of the data. Analysts then process, design, and present data in ways to help clients/customers, colleagues, businesses, and organizations make better decisions.

In this article, we will explore the following:

• Why It’s So Difficult To File a Long Term Disability Claim as an Analyst; and
• How to Create A Winning Claim.

Why Is It Challenging to File LTD For an Analyst

Analysts have a lot of duties and responsibilities. Here is a shortlist of just some of the duties and responsibilities of an analyst:

• Managing master data, including creation, updates, and deletion;
• Managing users and user roles;
• Provide quality assurance of imported data, working with quality assurance analysts if necessary;
• Commissioning and decommissioning of data sets;
• Processing confidential data and information according to guidelines;
• Helping develop reports and analysis;
• Managing and designing the reporting environment, including data sources, security, and metadata;
• Supporting the data warehouse in identifying and revising reporting requirements;
• Supporting initiatives for data integrity and normalization;
• Assessing tests and implementing new or upgraded software and assisting with strategic decisions on new systems;
• Generating reports from single or multiple systems;
• Troubleshooting the reporting database environment and reports;
• Evaluating changes and updates to source production systems;
• Training end-users on new reports and dashboards; and
• Providing technical expertise in data storage structures, data mining, and data cleansing.

Depending on the company, sample analyst requirements and qualifications may include:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university or college in computer science;
• Work experience as a data analyst or in a related field;
• Ability to work with stakeholders to assess potential risks;
• Ability to analyze existing tools and databases and provide software solution recommendations;
• Ability to translate business requirements into non-technical, lay terms;
• High-level experience in methodologies and processes for managing large scale databases;
• Demonstrated experience in handling large data sets and relational databases;
• Understanding of addressing and metadata standards; and
• High-level written and verbal communication skills.

Similar Job Titles include:

• Business Analyst;
• Business Process Analyst;
• Functional Analyst;
• Product Owner;
• Product Manager;
• Project Manager;
• IT Project Coordinator;
• Information Technology Lead;
• Information Technology Manager;
• Systems Analyst;
• Business Systems Analyst;
• Systems Architect;
• Process Analyst;
• Process Coordinator;
• IT Business Analyst;
• Process Owner;
• Usability Analyst;
• User Experience Designer;
• Business Consultant;
• Management Consultant;
• Agile Analyst;
• Business Solution Architect;
• Chief Information Officer;
• Process Architect;
• Subject Matter Expert;
• Digital Media Consultant;
• Operations Specialist;
• Insights Analyst;
• Compliance Manager;
• Data Analyst;
• Technical Data Analyst;
• Enterprise Architect;
• Business Architect;
• Enterprise Solutions Designer;
• Information Architect;
• Business Intelligence Analyst;
• Technical Writers;
• Technical Communications Analyst;
• Enterprise Process Engineer;
• Agile Business Analyst;
• Research Analyst; and
• Research Executive.

In short, here is a list of the top 10 skills an Analyst may require in his or her job:

1. Complex problem solving;
2. Critical thinking;
3. People management;
4. Coordinating with others;
5. Judgment and decision-making;
6. Cognitive flexibility;
7. Understanding objectives;
8. Good verbal communication skills;
9. Be a good listener; and
10. Excellent time management.

Analysts are well-compensated for the high level of skill it requires to do their job.

If an analyst becomes disabled and files a long-term disability claim, he or she will have a hard time getting approved.

Why? Because the insurance company is looking at the case from a financial standpoint. The insurance company is looking at how much money it will cost the company to provide an analyst with benefits throughout the illness or disability. The longer it could potentially take the analyst to return to work, the more scrutiny the analyst will face in the claims process.

Tips for a Successful Claim

Tip #1 Gather Strong Medical Evidence

Medical paperwork is the foundation of any long-term disability claim. Collect all the medical evidence from your doctors that are treating your disability. Be sure that your doctors are noting your pain levels and cognitive difficulties on your chart. This is not always common practice, but you will need detailed documentation for your claim.

For example, let’s assume a claimant has a significant back injury (such as herniated disks) and the claimant cannot sit, stand, or even walk for very long. The most comfortable position is for the claimant to lie down for 50% of the day to alleviate pain. There are not many jobs that will accommodate the need to lie down for half of the day. So the claimant will want to make sure there is good “objective medical evidence” to support the subjective complaints of pain. Objective evidence may include MRIs, X-Rays, etc.

Tip #2 Anticipate Surveillance

A large monetary claim – like one for an analyst – will likely call for video surveillance. Surveillance is completely legal. During the surveillance period, a private investigator will stake out the claimant’s house, talk to nearby neighbors about the claimant’s daily activities, and then try to use that information against the claimant in the administrative decision (or in court); This is why it is crucial to not rush back into exercise routines or anything else that is very strenuous on the body during the claim period.

Tip #3 Stay Off Of Social Media

There is also a high likelihood that social media accounts will be monitored. As a busy analyst executive, you probably do not have much spare time for social media. However, when you are at home with nothing to do but rest, you may be tempted to start an account on a social media platform such as Facebook, Linked In, Twitter, Instagram, or Snapchat. We suggest staying off social media entirely during the claim period. The insurance investigator will try to use posts to social media accounts to deny your claim.

Tip #4 Do Not Try to Go Back to Work Too Fast

The amount of time spent recovering from a disability can be very dull and feel unproductive to an analyst. The change from a very active schedule to weeks (and perhaps months or even years) of rest can feel like a prison sentence. Analysts must resist the urge to go back to work too early. When an analyst pushes himself or herself back into work before his or her body is ready physically and mentally, the analyst is in danger of making a mistake that could cause more harm.

Tip #5 Do Not Forget Cognitive Problems

An individual suffers from “cognitive impairment” when his or her ability to think and process information is reduced (for any reason).  Examples include when the individual has difficulty with basic cognitive functions, such as memory processing, perception, problem-solving, and language.  The symptoms of cognitive impairment may vary wildly from person to person; however, common symptoms include short-term memory loss and/or long-term memory loss; difficulty with planning, organizing, and problem-solving; confusion; an inability to handle stress appropriately; problems with managing time; and difficulty managing, influencing, and communicating with others.  Cognitive impairment can even result in physical manifestations, such as causing poor motor coordination.

Cognitive impairment can arise from a number of severe and disabling medical conditions such as delirium, dementia, amnesia, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, or ‎Huntington’s disease.  Cognitive impairments can also manifest as the result of other medical problems/diagnoses, including a stroke, heart disease, brain injury, major depression, an anxiety disorder, insomnia, high blood pressure, chronic migraine headaches, lupus, Raynaud’s phenomenon, and fibromyalgia. This list of causes is not exhaustive. There may be other diagnoses that cause cognitive problems.

While the language of every short-term and long-term disability policy is different, you are typically entitled to disability insurance benefits if you are unable to perform the material and substantial duties of your own occupation or any gainful occupation for which you are qualified by education, training, and experience.

It seems obvious that when an analyst suffers from cognitive impairment, whatever the cause, he or she would have difficulty performing the material and substantial duties of an analyst.  However, insurance companies do not always pay benefits, even when their liability seems obvious.  Too often, the attorneys at the Ortiz Law Firm have seen insurance companies/ERISA administrators assert that an insured has the “functional capacity” to return to work even if they are suffering from conditions such as cognitive impairment.

Note: An insurance company may require the claimant to sit for an “independent” neuropsychological examination. Keep in mind that this exam is conducted by a medical professional the insurance company hand-picked and the insurance company is footing the bill.  As you can well imagine, the paid neurophysiologist often prepares a biased report concluding that the claimant has the residual ability to return to work, regardless of the limiting cognitive impairments from which they suffer. The Ortiz Law Firm has significant experience assisting claimants in this situation and has been successful in convincing insurance companies to reverse their denial decisions, even when that decision was initially supported by the results of an unfavorable neuropsychological examination.

Conclusion

Analysts will find it challenging to get a long-term disability claim approved. The insurance company will search for virtually any reason to deny the claim. By providing strong medical evidence, keeping a low profile, and not rushing back to work too soon, an analyst can create a solid case for disability.

Using an experienced disability attorney will help you protect yourself against insurance investigators. The Ortiz Law Firm is based in Florida but represents claimants across the country. Receive a free consultation by calling (888) 321-8131 with no obligation. We can help you evaluate your claim to determine if you will be able to access long-term disability benefits and how to move forward with the process.