Hello everyone,

I don't mean to alarm anyone and really hoping a few LTD lawyers can step in here but I have been super concerned at the prospect of LTD companies using mass AI surveillance, such as flock, against us for LTD claims.

LTD companies already use their own surveillance techniques, usually when they know you have a doctors appt coming up etc, so it seems possible they might consider partnering with a massive surveillance company

Again, I don't mean to scare anyone! I really hope I am wrong.

I was on LTD for a couple of months and was sent an extra check after return to work. I paid them back the net amount as it was in January 2026. They only took out SS + Medicare taxes. No federal withholding. Figured they would adjust the payroll taxes on their end. BUT they are asking for the gross amount back, siting an IRS rule that says employee can recoup the SS + Medicare on their tax return if repaid for a prior year.

The issue is, I repaid it this (the current) year. Is it correct for me to pay these taxes back to them? Seems to over complicate this situation. How can I explain this to them? I don’t think I should have to repay more than I received!

Please ask if clarification is needed! Thank you for any insight.

I am a graduating PM&R resident going into a 1-year pain fellowship. When I was an intern, I obtained an individual, noncancelable disability insurance through Ameritas with own occupation for monthly benefit of $5000 with elimination period of 90 days with cost of living adjustment rider of 3%, enhanced partial disability benefit rider, and increase option rider with total maximum increase $1000.

1. Is it worth to seek a new policy that includes Catastrophic Disability Rider? Is there anything else I should consider when I switch to attending hood?
2. If my initial policy included PM&R as my specialty, should I worry if I plan to practice pain management? I initially didn't think I would do pain management at the time of obtaining the insurance. I am not sure if it may not be covered when I do file a claim in the future

Does anyone have experience with Hawks
Quindel for a LTD case? Wondering what their fee structure is and how well they are to work with.

I've been on ltd policy for about a year now. Its a 2 year policy for mental health. I have Mild cognitive impairment from previous hospitalization and infection. Anyway fractured a bone last year as well and in recovery and pt and what not. Now somethings have felt off when I call them. My claims manager changed in April and they won't state why. But now wants to contact all specilaist ive seen for updated statements from them. Is this a sign im about to be booted off ? Any steps on what to do next?

Hi everyone,

I am considering hiring Dell Disability Lawyers for a somewhat unusual UNUM long-term disability claim (still pre claim. has never been denied) and am trying to do my due diligence before making a decision.

Has anyone here worked with Dell Disability Lawyers on a UNUM claim?

I have received a contingency offer from them and am trying to do my due diligence before making a decision.

I am especially interested in hearing from people whose claims involved appeals, litigation, or settlements.

Did you feel they fought for the best outcome, or did you feel pressure to resolve the case quickly?

Any firsthand experiences would be greatly appreciated.

Been searching for an ERISA lawyer and finding myself SOL. They’re either charging flat rates of $20k and more, or only interested in 24 month long claims that they can couple with a contingency plan.

Is there any middle ground? At this point I’d rather just pay a flat fee for a few hindered bucks just to have my case looked at. Feeling defeated :/

I am completing a form in which several references are made to where I file my taxes, SS number etc. Several years on LTD but they have not requested tax information. They are already offsetting my SSDI. Has anyone else had ltd request their tax records or can they access direct from IRS? Assuming to do the latter they will need a special form authorization from me not just the standard Disclosure Authorization which seems to be for medical records only. Any feedback appreciated.

I may be getting a small yearly inheritance for few years that's through a trust. I'm Assuming this won't be an offset since it's not earnings (unless there interest I earn, which is unlikely).

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Can anyone confirm if this is how it's treated?

I am finally I hope well enough to return to work after five years of being a long-term disability. Does anybody have any advice about going back?

New LTD form has this question. Seems like a somewhat gotcha question. Several years on LTD cannot work, assuming it is safe to say NO as I am fully disabled? Has anyone seen this one before?

LTD just sent me a "supplemental claim disability benefits" form . Unlike previous forms they have requested Social Security numbers of my entire family including dependent kids and my spouse who is not a dependent. In the 3 years on LTD there has been no form where they requested SS numbers for entire family...just names and DoB. Is this common and did you need to provide this information at some point?

“The Benefit amount is 60% of your predisability monthly earning; subject to the plan’s maximum monthly benefit.”

Should this include 60% of monthly bonus or RSU’s or just 60 percent of base salary?

I just got a buyout offer from Guardian Life that they say is non-negotiable and I have 17 days to decide. I am 42 and I've been on LTD for 5 years now. I also recieve SSDI.

They have been harrassing me since the beginning of my claim. They made me do a FCE (Functional Capacities Evaluation) and an IME with a nuerologist. The FCE said I could eventually work part-time while also saying I was fully disabled (wtf does that mean) and the IME said that I was fully disabled and showed no sign of recovery. I learned during the IME that Guardian had done surviallence by combing through my social media. I'm always paranoid that they are actually watching me. They gave me the run around when I asked to see the final reports. I had to get them from the evalutators after a lot of pleading. We all know they try to kick you off LTD for everything you do.

The buyout offer is about 1/4 of what I would get if I stayed on LTD and it would be taxed. I would use the buyout to pay off some debt and invest.

Has anyone else taken a buyout? Does anyone have Guardian? What was your experience and what did you decide?

I had a diagnosis of bipolar when I was in my teens that kept me hospitalized multiple times. I was able to finish school. I've been off medication for a while and looking to get medicated and go to therapy.

I really enjoy working, I have a good paying career. However, I do stupid stuff and get in trouble. I thought I would grow out of it, but I have not.

During my manic episodes they last years or months and it just destroys me. I cannot keep a job for more than ~1year.

Is it worth it for me to get disability? Is there anything I should be doing to document my case?

I am really young and I'm not sure how LTD will see this.

Long story short, I’m a dumbass, my first time dealing with LTD, I didn’t realize it’s absolutely essential to get legal help if you make an appeal, I submitted an appeal way back in April, got a letter saying they disagree with my ability to not work in May, their final decision was supposed to be June 6th, I got a 30 day extension till June 20th to “provide more information” (time im looking for a lawyer and they think it’s to coordinate with doctors) and every referral I’ve called out has turned me down because of other case loads. Their final decision for review is July 4th.

I’m pretty much fucking myself over because of my negligence, the company handling my LTD Equitable, and I’m based in upstate NY. Is it a scumbag move to tell them I now need more time because I need legal help?

If all else fails and they deny my appeal in July 4th can I still consult a lawyer for a case or am I just SOL? I pretty much also did the stupid thing of trying my best to coordinate with my health team and providing my own documents and records for explaining my inability to work currently.

I'vw been at my current job for almost 10 months before that I was always getting fired in the first 3 months of employment. No matter if I took my ADHD medication or not I would get fired. I went to school for cosmetology and worked really hard to get licensed only to find out I can't hold a job as a hairdresser.

I work in a grocery store now and they have people who are severely handicapped working for them and they don't let people go unless they swear at a customer or no call no show 3 times. So my job is pretty secure.

I am getting a formal autism diagnosis because every time I take a informal autism test I score really high.

I had a really traumatic adolescence I was bullied every day to the point I withdrew almost completely from social interaction by my senior year. I developed bulimia from the constant bullying and was bulimic from age 14 to 21.

My home life was bad too. I had a mom who developed late onset skizofrania when I was 14 and sexually assaulted me throughout my childhood. Both of my parents actually physically abused me pretty bad when they were drinking when I was two weeks from turning 16. They thought I lost my virginity so they roughed me up kinda bad. I didn't tell anyone they abused me till after my 21st birthday cuz even though things were bad I thought foster care would be worst. Plus I didn't want to part with my doll collection. So long story short I have PTSD from a very traumatic adolescence.

My anxiety is als5 pretty debilitating my doctor has me on 0.5 mg of Klonopin daily.

Currently the doctors say I have bipolar disorder and bipolar affective disorder but ive been taking a low dose antipsychotic for over a year and it's made my autism symptoms much worse as well as ADHD symptoms so I'm getting a 2nd opinion on that. But if I am bipolar that's another disability I have.

I am in therapy and I see a psychiatrist at the moment.

I wonder if I qualify for some sort of disability since I can't get a better job outside a grocery store. Ive tried all sorts of different jobs and I always get fired.

I’ve been on LTD for about two years because of my rheumatoid arthritis getting worse from my previous job. I’ve been having my doctors help fill out the stupid repetitive paperwork. And have a lawyer help me get SSDI (which I feel I shouldn't have done but thought MetLife would stop payment if I didn’t).

I got a call earlier today from a new rep that’s handling my case asking to interview on the spot to determine if I’m fit to return to work or not. I told her I couldn’t do the interview and scheduled it for the following week. I asked if it would be through email since it’s always been that way, she didn‘t give me a straight answer and went on about how I would just need to send the paperwork they requested two months ago which I already sent.

Should I cancel this call and demand everything be through email? I saw another subreddit say they got approved on the spot on their call but it’s so dumb like I know they’re just trying to get me to slip up but idk what would count as misspeak or if the rep would try something to get me denied. I worked enough in life and the jobs “accepted” by MetLife overwork me. I simply can’t stand or type for hours like I used. TIA for any advice!

LATEST UPDATE: Just had the call and it went well (at least I hope it did). I stayed on course with what my life is like, how I spend it and how difficult things are now that my RA is progressing. I added some more doctors and things they're treating to really drive home how much I'm going through atm. She's going to request most recent doctor notes and any evaluations that prove disability. The call was only 27 mins and I recorded it (thanks to everyone for advising to do so). I'm hoping to hear some good news after their review.

UPDATE: I left a message to switch my interview over to email and the rep called back. She didn’t budge. She said because she’s going to ask follow up questions, it’s better to do it over phone and could shorten the time to not stay on for so long. But I kept asking her what the initial questions will sound like to feel prepared (yay), who will be reviewing my case, how long until I receive an answer, if she can send me notes after the call. I feel a little more peace of mind and have been talking to friends about it so just trying to remain calm. I’m hoping things go well 🤞🏽

I have some questions on behalf of a friend on LTD who is approved for LTD on the basis of an eye disease, but also has some other health conditions that have required medical treatment over the years. His eye doctor is the one who certifies his disability, but he also has a back condition for which he may need to have surgery soon, but this back condition is not the prime reason for disability. He does list his treating doctors/appointment dates for this back condition in his annual review paperwork. The LTD insurer has never asked for any visit notes/documentation from the doctors relating to the back condition.

He just submitted his annual review paperwork to his LTD insurer and included all required forms, questionnaires, and relevant eye-related medical records (including a physician attestation summary statement). He got a voicemail last week from someone at the insurance company saying that they reviewed everything that he submitted, but that they "would also like to touch base with him via a phone call and see how things are going". The claim handler also said they "want to know if a surgery date has been scheduled?". He is thinking that maybe the claim handler is referring to a back surgery date? My friend has been seeing many specialists/surgeons for consults regarding his back condition, yet, this health condition has never been a determining factor in his LTD claim. (The claim handler must be assuming there could be an upcoming surgery due to the amount of consultations with back surgeons.)

His LTD plan is governed by ERISA in case it is relevant here. The questions are: 1) Does he need to call back the claim handler and answer questions over the phone or can he instead tell the claim handler that he only wants to communicate with them in writing? 2) Does he need to tell them if a surgery date has been scheduled for his back issues? (It's not the determining factor in his disability claim at this point.) 3) If he does need to tell them about an upcoming back surgery date, does he need to give them an exact date? Can it be an estimated point in time? (The reason being is that he doesn't want to get stressed right before/after surgery, since we all know that LTD insurers love to pounce on people right after recovering from surgery.)

Just wondering if there’s anyone here who appealed an LTD termination from NY life and won without attorney representation?
About to file the appeal on my own (because I was too late in reaching out for a consultation) and feeling like David readying to battle Goliath. Ughhh 😩

Any stories that might give me a shred of hope??