One of the most effective ways to proactively plan for potential long-term disability claims is to keep personal medical logs of your medical treatment and visits. You should keep copies of your medical records in one place. Still, you also may find it beneficial to maintain a running chronological commentary about the health care providers that you visit, the treatment that you receive, and the medications that you are prescribed. This information can be valuable even after you have filed your long-term disability claim. At some point, your insurer may want updated information to show that you still are disabled, and having a clear record of the treatments that you continue to receive can be helpful.

You also may wish to specifically discuss your need to have your medical records support your claimed disabilities. While doctors may be supportive of your efforts to seek long-term disability benefits, they sometimes fail to include information in medical records that is necessary to a successful claim. You may need to encourage doctors to document any impairments that they observe during your examination and appointment, as well as the symptoms that you have reported to them. If your medical records repeatedly cite the same symptoms and observations about your medical condition, then it is harder for the insurance company to argue that they don’t exist or aren’t as severe as you claim.

Keeping your own records of medical treatment also can highlight gaps in your medical records. If you have a personal log of treatment, you will know if a doctor or medical treatment facility failed to send in all your records or are missing some information. While it may take some dedication, it creates a record that helps ensure the completeness of the medical records that your insurance company has to consider.

Bonnici Law Group has handled the claims of countless individuals who have encountered difficulties in procuring long-term disability benefits under their employers’ ERISA-governed insurance policies. We will protect your rights and advocate on your behalf throughout every stage of the claims process. Call our office at 858-261-5454 to set up an appointment to speak with us today.