Menu
Login
Last year, I had a cervical fusion and was disabled for over 10 months. Even though I had my doctor's notes supporting my inability to return to work, MetLife caused me to get evicted from 2 apartments, get 2 cars reposessed and as a result, I bypassed my doctor's advice and went back to work, even though I was in excruciating pain and developed Sciatica while trying to do too much by going to work full-time. Three weeks ago, at the end of August, I suffered from nausea, vomitting, diarrhea. I thought I had a stomach virus and waited 3 days before finally going to see my doctor. My doctor diagnosed me with gastritis and gave me a note to excuse me from work and gave me Nexium and referred me to a GI specialist. My GI specialist, suspecting that I may be suffering from a Gall bladder attack, sent me to have a Hida test. The test revealed that in fact my gallbladder was diseased, but my physician wanted to hold off until I saw my orthopedist to rule out problems with my sciatica and cervical stenosis, since I had unresolved problems with my cervical fusion. My orthopedist then informed me that I needed to have my cervical spine decompressed because of severe stenosis around the area of the fusion and took me out of work until my surgery, to avoid me from compromising my spine. I submitted all of these reports to MetLife. It's been 4 weeks and still, MetLife is denying my short-term disability claim, saying that they don't have any evidence that I am unable to perform my job. So, here I am again, with the car finance company threatening to come and reposess my car if I don't pay it by tomorrow Saturday. My landlord is charging me an extra $100.00 for being late with my rent. I have no money to buy my medications and to follow-up with my doctors, because of the co-pay. I have been working for my company for 23 years and have paid MetLife's Disability insurance for the past 23 years. Besides being stressed out by all these financial woes and worrying about my upcoming surgery, I've had serious thoughts of suicide and I've completely lost a zest for life. Please help!
About ten years ago I was working as a systems analyst for a company in Louisville, KY. I had opted for the short term disability insurance offered by Met Life. During that time, I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and anorexia. I was out on short term disability for 3 months and was supposed to have been paid disability benefits accordingly, which at the time, was over $10, 000. I only received one check for the first 2 weeks. I kept my appointments with the psychiatrist which is what I was told to do. I informed the human resources director and she said that she would look into it. As luck would have it, the company I worked for dissolved within two weeks of my return. To be perfectly honest, I was not in the proper mind set at the time to deal with insurance issues. Do I have any leverage now to somehow recoup what I am owed by Met Life?
Make sure you file for Long Term even if they turn down the Short Term (if long term applies)... You have to sue them in federal court, which takes 8 - 9 months, then you wind up in a settlement conference where you sit in an attorneys conference room for 8 hours... DO NOT let them release the doctors that said you were not disabled, because you also have a case against them as well as the claims handling company... They hope you will just go away, which I'm sure many people do, it is beyond frustrating.
I am in the same situation. I have fibromyalgia and herniated disk and other spine problems. I am taking physical therapy to be able to walk 500 feet is the goal at the end of 4 weeks I was denied. They never sent for doctors notes or files like they said they would and just denied me. I appealed and am waiting on there decision now. I was having anxiety and panic attacks because of always being threatened to be fired by them and not being able to rest and get better. I have spoken with the EEOC about them violating my Americans with Disability Act rights and was told they have but Metlife is out of there area. I am sure my attorney for that case will be happy to take the one on for metlife also for over riding my doctors orders. Who are they to say that I dont need to be off work if my doctor says that I do. He knows my medical history and my information from all 5 of my doctors and dont have the money to go pay 5 dr offices $30 for my file to still be denied because they lied and have not done there job. If you have been discriminated by Verizon and have a disability contact your EEOC and file a claim against them. They have to stop! They may be big but are not above the law. They only way to stop them is to speak out against them.
i agree im going through a simular situation im fighting it to the bitter end they cant get away with this. i work too hard to let some corp screw me out of what i deserve
First I would contact an attorney, then second the congress person in your area. Believe it or not, but a lot of people do not use their resources and these big corporations think they can do whatever they want. I hope you're not a pushover, because you have to show them you're not going to take any of their crap. Good Luck!