METROPOLITAN LIFE INSURANCE LONG-TERM DISABILITY RIP-OFF IS LONG-TIME NO SEE

Hi, my name is Sonja, & Im with the disability rights group from Sokolove Law.  We have been reviewing thousands of potential claims where insurance companies refuse long-term disability benefits to someone who has a legitimate claim. Too often, legitimate claims are denied because insurance companies look for every possible legal and technical angle available that will allow them to deny a valid claim. When an insurer does not live up to its end of the contract, they act on what is called bad faith.  

For folks interested in learning more about bad faith practices of insurance companies, there is great information available at http://awe.sm/5o82i. If your claim has been rejected, I want you to know your rights and options. Call our office toll-free at 800-581-6943 to learn about your options and receive a free legal consultation.

I too have been ripped off by Metropolitan Life's Long Term Disability Insurance. I worked for my previous employer for nearly 5 years when 2 seperate car accidents, 9 months apart, forced me to go on Short Term Disability, which my employer provided, executed, and approved me for because spinal, muscles, and nerve damage left me unable to perform all the required duties of my job. After being on Short Term for 7 months, I was told by my employer that I had to sign up for Long Term Disability because my Short Term benefits were nearly exhausted.

My employer paid for our LTD insurance entirely as a part of our benefits package, and both they and my new Metlife caseworker assured me that once my STD benefits were exhausted and I was terminated, I would definitely be approved for LTD, making 80% of my former base pay until I recovered and could find another job making at least 80% of what I was making at my former job. I was finally approved after much hassle, but only for 3 months, as my caseworker said that my doctor "predicted" I would be able to return to work at that time. (I felt that Metlife was paying my doctor a bonus to get her to return me to work eligibility.) I didn't understand how my doctor could have told my caseworker that, as I had seen her for only 2 months after being referred to her by my neurologist with a diagnosis of Myofascial Pain Syndrome, a chronic and long term disorder.

This new doctor had raised my pain medication 2 times in the short time I had seen her, as my condition continued to worsen after the second car accident, ( which happened 3 days after I started seeing her).

And 1 month before the "predicted date I could return to work, this same doctor gave me a new diagnosis of Fibromyalgia, also a chronic and long term disorder, but she told me if I "felt" that I could return to work, I could work 4 hrs per day.

I had been working 12 hrs. per day. I told her later, that I felt that my constant daily pain left me unable to work at that time, despite my severe financial problems. My doctor then put me on an anti-seizure drug and a medication for depression, on top of the pain med, muscle relaxers, anti-inflammatories, and high blood pressure meds, all which cause sleepiness and caution against driving. I tried desperately to call my caseworker at Metlife to update her on my condition, so I could prevent my checks from being cut off or I would be unable to pay my $344.00 a month Cobra insurance or buy my medications. Metlife did not return my calls until 1 day after the date my benefits were to be cut off.

I was then told I had to submit an appeal, which I did, but was denied. Then I tried desperately to find an attorney to help with my last appeal, but I could not find one to work on a contingency. So I did it myself, but then I read on the internet that Metlife was one of the worse companies for denying claims. I then called my caseworker and also e-mailed her, (as I had trouble before with my caseworker denying I had called her), and asked her to withdraw my appeal until I seen another Dr. for a second opinion at a more reputable pain clinic, then I would seek an attorney to help me with my appeal.

But a week or two before the date I had given them that I'd be seeking an attorney and 6 weeks before my appeal deadline, I received my final letter of denial. I've lost my $17.68 an hour job at 48 hrs per week, and now the $1780.00 a month I was getting in LTD benefits.

It could take up to 4 more years before my personal injury suits are settled. I'm slowly losing everything I had worked so hard for, including our good credit standing, as we are unable to meet our debt payment obligations. What good is insurance if you have to fight to receive the benefits you deserve? I believe that all the stress from the fight has helped to contribute to my continued deterioration.

I recently spent 2 weeks in the hospital due to complications of my condition, brought on partially from stress.