How To Obtain Long-Term Disability Benefits In Case of Mental Illness

When it comes to illness or injury, a lot of Canadians have the option of obtaining long-term disability benefits via a private plan or their employer if said illness or injury has taken away their ability of performing work related tasks. In instances where benefits are denied for whatever reason, claimants still have the option of hiring a personal injury lawyer in Sault Ste Marie and taking legal action in order to receive the coverage they are owed.

However, it isn’t always something physical that is keeping employees from completing work related tasks. Mental illness can also impact work performance and the overall health of a person. In such a case, employees will also be able to make a case for long-term disability coverage.

Mental Health Conditions That Lead to Long-Term Disability Claims

There are many cases annually in Canada, in which long-term disability claims stem from employees who are struggling with mental illness, such as post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, or anxiety. While there are sometimes specific events that have brought on a mental illness, there are also quite a lot of instances where the origin of the illness cannot be pinpointed, or where genetics are the reason instead of trauma.

Building A Long-Term Disability Claim on The Basis of Mental Illness

While it has been legally recognized that mental illness can absolutely have a substantial impact on a person’s capability to function at work, as well as in all other sectors of life, it can still be a struggle to build a solid long-term disability claim on the basis of mental illness instead of physical illness or disability.

This is because mental illness is not visible and cannot be tested for with stone cold and undeniable evidence. There is no blood test, no CAT scan, no X-ray that can provide visual evidence for somebody’s depression or PTSD or anxiety. And as a result, insurance companies will abuse this fact by turning down such claims, if they do not measure up to their extremely high standards of provided evidence.

Your best chances of winning a long-term disability claim for mental illness, is to hire a personal injury lawyer, to provide extremely detailed documentation of your appointments, diagnosis, medication, and so forth – all of which was documented by a medical health professional. Included in these records must of course be solid evidence that your symptoms are impacting your ability to perform major work-related tasks. Furthermore, you will also need proof of your ongoing treatments, such as medication and/or therapy. Your lawyer will help you get the needed proof and evidences to ensure that things work out properly.