• Menu
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Before Header

Has your disability claim been wrongfully denied or terminated? Call us today for help!  (888) 321-8131

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

OLF Ortiz Law Firm National Disability Attorneys

We appeal wrongful long term disability insurance and Social Security Disability denials.

  • ABOUT US
    • Our Team
    • Our Results
    • Areas We Serve
    • Core Values
  • PRACTICE AREAS
    • Administrative Appeals
    • Lawsuits
    • Lump Sum Settlement Offers
  • RESOURCES
    • Top 10 Mistakes That Will Destroy Your LTD Claim
    • Physical RFC Form
    • Mental RFC Form
    • Ultimate Appeal Checklist
    • Long Term Disability Case Study
    • Lump Sum Disability Buyout Calculator
  • BLOG
    • Long Term Disability Denials and Appeals
    • Medical Eligibility for Long Term Disability Claims
    • Eligibility for Long Term Disability Claims
    • Your Chances of Getting Approved for Disability Benefits
    • Additional Parts Of A Claim That Do Not Happen in Every Case
  • Search
  • CONTACT
  • ABOUT US
    • Areas We Serve
    • Testimonials
    • Our Team
      • Nick Ortiz
    • Our Office
    • Core Values
    • Referring Attorney Program
  • PRACTICE AREAS
    • Long Term Disability Claims
      • Administrative Appeals
      • Lawsuits
      • Lump-Sum Buyout Offers
    • Social Security Disability Claims
      • Initial Applications
      • Request for Reconsideration
      • Hearing Before an Administrative Law Judge
    • Personal Injury Claims
  • DISABLING CONDITIONS
    • Long Term Disability
    • Social Security Disability
  • INSURANCE CARRIERS
    • Cigna
    • Guardian
    • Hartford
    • Lincoln Financial
    • Matrix Absence Management
    • MetLife
    • Mutual of Omaha
    • Northwestern Mutual
    • New York Life
    • Principal
    • Prudential
    • Reliance Standard
    • Standard
    • Unum
  • RESOURCES
    • Blog
    • Free Downloads
    • Lump Sum Disability Buyout Calculator
    • FAQ: Long Term Disability
    • FAQ: Social Security Disability
    • Abbreviations in Social Security Disability Claims
  • Search
  • CONTACT

Mobile Menu

Schedule A Free Consultation Now!

Find out how our law firm can help you win your case or you don’t pay a cent.

(888) 321-8131

  • ABOUT US
    • Areas We Serve
    • Testimonials
    • Our Team
      • Nick Ortiz
    • Our Office
    • Core Values
    • Referring Attorney Program
  • PRACTICE AREAS
    • Long Term Disability Claims
      • Administrative Appeals
      • Lawsuits
      • Lump-Sum Buyout Offers
    • Social Security Disability Claims
      • Initial Applications
      • Request for Reconsideration
      • Hearing Before an Administrative Law Judge
    • Personal Injury Claims
  • DISABLING CONDITIONS
    • Long Term Disability
    • Social Security Disability
  • INSURANCE CARRIERS
    • Cigna
    • Guardian
    • Hartford
    • Lincoln Financial
    • Matrix Absence Management
    • MetLife
    • Mutual of Omaha
    • Northwestern Mutual
    • New York Life
    • Principal
    • Prudential
    • Reliance Standard
    • Standard
    • Unum
  • RESOURCES
    • Blog
    • Free Downloads
    • Lump Sum Disability Buyout Calculator
    • FAQ: Long Term Disability
    • FAQ: Social Security Disability
    • Abbreviations in Social Security Disability Claims
  • Search
  • CONTACT
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
You are here: Home / Long Term Disability / Why It Is Important For Your Doctor To Write Up Your Functional Limitations

Why It Is Important For Your Doctor To Write Up Your Functional Limitations

July 5, 2021 //  by OLF//  Leave a Comment

Your functional limitations are the most critical evidence for your long term disability claim. Your insurance company is interested in how your disability affects your ability to work. The insurance claim examiner (and an administrative law judge if your claim goes to court) will look for you to provide detailed doctor’s notes on activity limitations. This information is crucial to getting your claim approved.

Assessing Your Residual Functional Capacity

The insurance claim examiner will rate your residual functional capacity (RFC) to determine what level of work you are capable of doing. To do this, claims examiners will go through each category addressed on the RFC assessment form. They will look at the following information:

How Much Can You Lift and How Often?

For example, if you can lift 25 lbs frequently and 50 pounds occasionally, you will be assigned a medium RFC rating. If you can only lift 10-25 lbs frequently, you will be given a light RFC rating.

How Long Are You Able to Sit or Stand?

For example, if you have a knee injury, you might not be able to stand for long periods of time. Or if you have suffered a lower back injury, it may be too painful to sit all day.

How Well Can You Reach Out or Overhead?

Injuries or illnesses like degenerative disc disease and arthritis can make it hard to reach out or overhead.

How Well Can You Bend Down, Crouch, or Stoop?

Many manual labor jobs require bending, stooping, or crouching low. If you cannot perform these functions, your job choices will be limited.

How Well Can You Grasp Objects or Use Your Hands?

People who are suffering from disability with arthritis and muscular dystrophy will have a hard time grasping tools or typing all day because their fine motor skills are not as good as they were previously.

How Well Can You Hear and See?

Hearing and vision are critical to success in the workplace as well as life. If your disability has impaired your hearing, vision, or both, it will be very hard to work.

There is a misconception that if your doctor takes you out of work, then you must be disabled and that should be enough for the insurance company to approve your claim. Unfortunately, the system does not work like that. Proving that you are disabled enough to receive long term disability benefits involves providing complete medical information, prognosis, and functional limitations. A note from the doctor will not be enough.

Read and Understand Your LTD Policy

We always advise you to read your long term disability policy to understand how your insurance company defines “disability” and what the benefit payment periods are. Disabilities defined by the insurance company can look a lot different than disabilities defined by the Social Security Administration. There are also more exclusions in a long term disability policy. For example, if you drink alcohol regularly, that can be cause for denial. Another example is mental illness; most policies only allow for up to 24 months of long term disability payments for mental illness such as depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder.

Read more about the traps that will derail your claim here.

Work With a Long Term Disability Lawyer

Your functional limitations outlined by your doctor are critical to the success of your claim. Be sure that your doctor completes and answers all the questions that the insurance company has to avoid your claim being delayed or denied.

If you need help getting your claim approved, you can reach out to an experienced disability attorney that can help you gather the documents you need to prove your case and fight the insurance company for you.

The experienced disability attorneys at the Ortiz Law Firm can help you through every step of the process, from appeals to a potential lawsuit. We only get paid if you win. You can seek help without worrying about upfront costs or unexpected bills. Our law experts will focus on your case so you can focus on your illness.

The Ortiz Law Firm has successfully represented people in disability cases across the United States. To see how we can help you win your long term disability case, call us at (888) 321-8131.

FacebookTweetPinLinkedInPrintEmail

Category: Long Term Disability

Recent Posts

  • Marselle v. Unum – Kentucky District Court Finds Unum Made a “Reasoned Determination”
  • Foss v. Standard – “Own Occ” is With Any Employer, Not With Specific Employer
  • SSA Grid Rules Explained
  • What is a Trial Work Period? [2022 Update]
  • Can A Doctor Refuse To Fill Out Disability Forms?
Previous Post: « The Do’s and Don’ts of Traveling on Long Term Disability
Next Post: 5 Things You Need To Know About Long Term Disability and Knee Injuries »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Top Ten Mistakes That Will Destroy Your Long Term Disability Claim

View All Long Term Disability Insurance Resources

Very professional! He and his staff do there very best to win your case. He is very hands on and stays in touch with you. I am very pleased with my experience with his law firm and would recommend anyone to him.

Janet Q.

View All Reviews and Testimonials

Complete This CONFIDENTIAL Form or Call (888) 321-8131 for a FREE Case Evaluation

0 of 350
GET HELP NOW

Learn More About Long Term Disability

  • Areas We Serve
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Denials and Appeals
  • Your Chances of Getting Approved
  • Medical Eligibility
  • Additional Parts That Do Not Happen in Every Case
  • Medical Conditions That May Qualify
  • Long Term Disability Insurance Carriers
  • Occupations That May Qualify
  • LTD Federal Court Case Summaries
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EHrRKBKsok

Footer

Location

ORTIZ LAW FIRM
(888) 321-8131

316 S Baylen St
Ste 590
Pensacola, FL 32502
Monday - Thursday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Friday: 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Saturday - Sunday: Closed

Our Team

  • Nick Ortiz
  • Jessica Ortiz
  • Dawn Keller
  • Tory Nelson

Practice Areas

  • Long Term Disability Insurance and ERISA Disability Insurance Claims
  • Social Security Disability Claims
  • Personal Injury Claims
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Site Footer

©2020 Ortiz Law Firm, All Rights Reserved. Reproduced with Permission | Disclaimer | Privacy Policy

Share this ArticleLike this article? Email it to a friend!

Email sent!