What You Need To Know About Applying For Long Term Disability Through Your Job

If you were injured during your job, and your injury is going to prevent you from working for an extended period of time, you may quality for long-term disability benefits through your employer. Here are a few things you need to know about how the long-term disability benefits process through employers typically work. 

Initial Application

Once you know that you will be out of work for an extended period of time, you will need to contact the intake center that manages your employer's long-term disability claims. Your employer should be able to provide you with this information, or you can find the details within your long-term disability plan information.

When you start your initial application, you will be required to provide some basic information. Here is the general information you will be asked to provide:

• Personal contact information
• Job title
• Job description
• Workplace address and phone number
• Description of a typical work schedule
• Date of hire
• Date you last worked
• Supervisor's name and contact information
• The nature of your injury
• Date you sustained the injury
• When the injury occurred
• Contact information for the physician treating you

Follow Up With Your Doctor

After you provide this initial information, the company that handles your employer's disability claims will then follow up with your physician. You will need to authorize the release of your medical records. 

Your doctor will have to provide detailed medical records that detail when your injury occurred, treatment steps that have been taken, and an estimation of how long you will need to be out to deal with this disability. 

Follow Up With You

Once the claims company has followed up with your doctor, they may contact you for additional information. They may want to know more about how your medical condition impacts your ability to do your job as well as your treatment plan for addressing this medical condition. 

Reviewing Your Application

Your application will be reviewed based on the definition of a disability from your employer's long term disability plan, which you should have a written copy of. Additionally, they will take into consideration what you are able to do and not do, based on information provided by your doctor and how this related to your job. 

They will then let you know if you are approved. You will most likely be required to continue to receive medical treatment, and they will contact you occasionally to see when you may return to work and come off disability.

For more information, contact Bruce K Billman or a similar legal professional.