Long-Term Disability Benefits in Alberta

A serious injury or illness could have a major impact on your quality of life. Even if you have a strong prognosis and eventually make a full recovery, any time you need to take off work while getting better has a knock-on effect on your finances, to say nothing of the discomfort of the injury or illness itself.

Long-term disability (LTD) insurance exists to protect you from the consequences of unexpected health challenges. It will pay a portion, but almost never all, of your previous income if you cannot do your job. Besides the loss of earnings, some potential expenses that could arise from these challenges are treatment services, medication, mobility aids, housekeeping and childcare, and renovations to make your home accessible.

“Disability” in an insurance policy is generally defined as any condition that stops you from working. This could include but is by no means limited to the most severe, irreversible conditions that might spring to mind, such as quadriplegia or blindness. Both mental and physical health problems may be covered by your LTD plan (see below for more examples).

Long-term in this sense typically means the benefits last for as long as the disability prevents you from working, up to the age of 65 or retirement. However, there is typically a “change in definition” of what kind of work you must be incapable of doing to receive benefits.

If a disability has caused you to stop working and you need to access insurance benefits, our long-term disability lawyers can help.

What problems could I face when applying for long-term disability in Alberta?

The insurer may disagree with your healthcare practitioners’ diagnosis or treatment plan. An insurance company may say you are still able to work and turn down your benefits application outright.

Another reason for denying a claim is if you took too long to apply (an insurer may argue that your inability to work is caused by something other than your covered illness or injury), or if your paperwork was incomplete.

Assuming your claim is successful, your insurer may later threaten to cut off your benefits. The company may pressure you to return to work before you are ready and ignore any negative health effects from doing so.

For example, we can warn you of any upcoming deadlines and make sure any requested documentation is ready well before then. We represent you in a manner where we put your best interests first.

What injuries or illnesses may qualify you for long-term disability benefits in Alberta

Among the injuries and illnesses that your LTD insurance may cover are (please note that this list is not comprehensive):

• AIDS/HIV
• Anxiety
• Arthritis
• Back pain
• Cancer
• Chronic fatigue, pain, or stress
• Concussions
• Depression
• Eating disorders
• Fibromyalgia
• Hearing and eyesight loss
• Heart attack or stroke
• Herniated discs
• Inflammatory bowel diseases (Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis)
• Lupus
• Lyme disease
• Mental health and psychological disorders
• Migraines
• Multiple sclerosis
• Neurological disorders
• Paralysis
• Panic attacks
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
• Respiratory problems
• Spinal injuries (bone and/or tissue)
• And more…

If you do not see your medical problem on the above list, you may nevertheless be eligible for long-term disability benefits. We can examine the terms and conditions of your insurance policy in detail to check whether you qualify.

Areas our long-term disability lawyers serve in Alberta

Here are the cities and towns that our long-term disability lawyers serve:

Contact our long-term disability lawyers for legal help

You can reach our offices by calling 1-844-791-8202 or book a free consultation with us online. Once we learn more about your case, we can advise you of your legal options. If you decide to take us on as your counsel, we will start working to make the most out of your claim immediately. And remember, this initial consultation is absolutely free.