Dentistry is a highly skilled profession that can be very hard on the body. Due to the nature of their work, dentists, orthodontists, endodontists, and other dental specialists are required to work in awkward positions throughout the day, putting them at high risk for back, neck, hand and wrist problems. Spending day after day performing repetitive motions on patients at uncomfortable angles can lead to serious impairments. These types of impairments are often extremely painful and can prevent a dentist from being able to continue practicing in their chosen profession.
The attorneys at Bryant Legal Group PC are well aware of the physical demands placed upon members of the dental profession. We also recognize that the type of injuries and impairments dentists face often progress over time and can become totally disabling. If you are a dentist suffering from an injury, illness or other medical condition that is impacting your ability to perform you job, it is important to consult with a Chicago private disability attorney as soon as possible. While making a temporary adjustment to your work schedule may seem like an easy fix, doing so can actually complicate the situation if you need to file for disability benefits down the road. You are far better off discussing your condition with an experienced disability lawyer who can make sure you are taking the right steps to protect your eligibility for disability benefits.
The attorneys at our Chicago-based firm have years of experience helping dentists and other medical professionals secure both short and long term disability payments. Our team knows the tactics insurance carriers use to deny these claims and will work with you to gather the all the documentation needed to support your claim. We are very familiar with how carriers define disabling conditions under their policies and will make certain that your medical issues are put into terms that meets the carrier’s definition of disability. In doing so, we will also help you secure the specialist care and diagnostic tests needed to support your claim from a vocational standpoint.
In addition to practicing their profession, dentists often own their own practices or share joint ownership with other dentists. This means that when a dentist is dealing with a disabling condition, the dentist may not only be unable to treat patients, he or she may be unable to take care of the rent, payroll and other expenses associated with running a business. While business overhead expense (BOE) and key-person insurance policies are meant to cover these types of expenses when an owner becomes disabled, these policies set forth their own definition of disability and specific rules as to what types of expenses will be covered should a policyholder become disabled. For instance, if you become disabled and decide to hire a family member to fill in for you to cover your duties, you may not be able to collect under the terms of the policy. We are ready to spend the time necessary to work through your specific policy requirements with you in order to maximize access to the benefits you have paid for.
Business ownership can also add a complicating factor to a disability claim under an individually purchased disability policy, non-ERISA group policy (i.e., policy issued for members of the American Dental Association), ERISA group policy, or other income protection policy, because as a business owner and dentist you are performing “dual occupations”. This type of work may or may not be specifically addressed in your policy. If it is not addressed, case law is likely to dictate how the insurance company can consider this work. We use our litany of experience and specific additional legal research to build the best claims possible and related arguments to persuade insurers to make sure that they are taking into consideration of your occupation as you performed it.
The private disability lawyers at our Chicago-based firm have a solid understanding of how disability, income protection, and BOE policies work in practice. When you retain our firm, we will carefully review the language of your policy to make certain you are taking the right steps to receive the reimbursement you need to keep your practice up and running. Additionally, should you determine that it is time to wind down practice, we can refer you to other service providers who can take you through the process of selling your practice from start to finish.
If you are a dental professional struggling with a physical injury, illness or other medical condition, the attorneys at Bryant Legal Group PC will provide you with comprehensive support and legal representation every step of the way. Every attorney at our firm is committed to helping dentists secure the benefits they need and deserve. Call us today 312-561-3010 or email info@bryantlg.com to schedule a consultation with a member of our team.