POZ Community Forums
Main Forums => Living With HIV => Topic started by: Jeffreyj on October 16, 2008, 04:32:38 am
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I received the best news today. I sued my LTD Insurance company and WON.
Yahoo! I'm so happy I can even think strait. The past year, as some of you have known, has been pure hell. About 12 months ago I got a call out of the blue from my Long -Term Disability Company, saying that effective immediately, I will no longer receive my benefits.
That was pretty shocking, since they had been paying me every month for 3 years.
The next week, they sent me a CD that made me ill. They had hired Detectives for a few weeks that were spying on me! The first 5 days they had nothing, but the 6th day they caught me driving to my DR.s office, 8 miles from my home. The had it all taped on a CD. Then they caught me going to a pharmacy, picking up , you guessed it, some scripts.
They said based on the fact I could drive, I was perfectly healthy and was perfectly able to work full time.
Please note, that I have been positive since 1984(My 25th anniversary is this November) I have had KS in '95, constant fatigue to this day...I have had severe neuropathy since 2001,(It hurts to stand up most days ...I have fibromialgia, constand head aches, depression. Plus like 10 more things but I don't want to bore you all.
Anyway, the month after they stopped paying me i was in the middle of a refinance, I ended up losing my home to forclosure. I am now living in an apartment. It has been a living nightmare. The last few months have been more depressing, I had no idea how I could survive. After I paid all my bills at the end of the month, I had 200 for food, car gas etc. A rather tight budget for me. I know am fully aware of how it feels to be poor.
So, I got my pay back, and it was retro so that was nice.
My lawyer did a great job. He drove me nuts at times but hell, he got the job done so that's the main thing.
Sorry I have not been around here, but I hope you understand. I was truly down and out.
So I hope this gives some of you out there some HOPE. Always fight back, it paid off for me, and I hope others who have LT disabilities not to give up.
Thanks for reading.
Lots of love to everyone!
Jeff
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ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL GREAT NEWS JEFF
YOU DESERVE IT AND THE BASTERDS WERE TAUGHT A GOOD LESSON.
DON'T FUCK WITH US.
LOVE
HERMIE
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Well said Hermelia darling!
You have such a wonderful way with words!
And....you're one of my rocks in life, thank you for all of you support, I cant tell you how your love keeps me up at times when I lose my way.
You are an amazing man Hermie thanks for being there for me.
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congratulations! What a fighter, I am glad you won! And sorry to hear about losing your home, and all that hassle!! Can you sue now for that? Would be nice to really stick it to 'em.
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Jeffray
If you're willing could you let me know who your ltd provider is via private mail? It sounds like the ltd provider i have and 3 years is cming up in january and they rold me that after 3 years they totally redefine what lts qualifications are...i am terrified since my condition in declining fast aparalysis due to nerve damage, but i am still (with alot of pain able to drive to doctor appointments shop for groceries with a lot of pain but nothing much else. I know they have sent out paparrazi before to watch me.
My doctor said he will be willing to fight on my behalf, but he has let me down before.
congratulations on winning your case, it doesn't happen all that often from what other poz have told me in their experiences
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Way to go, Jeff! I sure hope that there is some punitive compensation and something for damages, too.
David
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CONGRATULATIONS on the great news! Good for you! ;)
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I am really happy for you Jeff. Now, dont be a stranger here. We missed you. ;D
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Congrats, Jeffrey. I know this had been worrying you non-stop this past year.
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Jeff,
Wonderful news.
I also have LTD and there have been a few times, when they threatened to stop my benefits. The way I got around them is to DOCUMENT EVERYTHING WITH YOUR DOCTOR(S). I do not care if it is just gas, if you experience it and it impedes your daily living, then it is paramount that you have it documented. I receive benefits, because of my depression, and so, every two years, I see a psychiatrist, to check on my mental heath and for a review of my medications. Before I go, I make a list of all the issues, that affect my ability to live a normal life. I make sure the list is documented with both my shrink and my doctors. That way, if the the company wants to claim that I am no longer disabled, I have the medical records to prove otherwise.
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Hello Jeffrey,
Congrats on the settlement ! It truly must have been a rough period for you, but you stuck with it, and did't cave in. CONGRATS !! I wonder how many other people, this insurance company tried to screw, and got away with it, because people just never fought back.
Ray 8)
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Hey Jeff,
You da Man!!! Such great news. When any of us can get the upper hand on an insurance company, we win a major battle. Congratulations.
BTW, you were still the best hug I got at AMG 2007 in San Francisco.
Love ya. xoxo, Ric
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Hey Jeff,
What great news! I have a long running history of telling lawyer jokes and I had to stop. I have a question, since you lost your house in a forclosure, it would be considered "under duress", can you get your house back? I had to sell my house because I lost my best client and had to close my agency. I was told before escrow closed, if my situation improves, I could take the house back for the "under duress" reason but, I was visiting that town for the first time in years, ran into an old friends little sister and she married the guy who bought mine. After 20 years, I wouldn't spend more than enough time to refuel the car, let alone try and take the house back. It may be an option for you though ;D Have the best day
Michael
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Great news honey! I am so happy for you -- congratulations, to a very sweet guy.
Hugs,
Alan :-*
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Thank you all so much for the love and support. You guys mean so much to me. If i was not a member of aidsmeds I'm not sure i would have fought it out. You guys are so supportive it really means allot.
Ric, You gave the best hug, sorry I had to disagree with you on that one!
As far as punitive and getting my house back...that's not an option, unfortunately. But I did get back pay so that was really sweet.
I want to contribute to the next gathering too.
Thanks again, Love you all,
Jeff
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Thank you all so much for the love and support. You guys mean so much to me. If i was not a member of aidsmeds I'm not sure i would have fought it out. You guys are so supportive it really means allot.
Ric, You gave the best hug, sorry I had to disagree with you on that one!
As far as punitive and getting my house back...that's not an option, unfortunately. But I did get back pay so that was really sweet.
I want to contribute to the next gathering too.
Thanks again, Love you all,
Jeff
Damn, it sucks that there's nothing to be done about punitive. I wonder if something done civilly would be an option for damages. It seems is they violated something (policy, etc) that they should be liable for the damages that they caused. At any rate, I'd check it out. Mainly, though, at least things are getting better for you.
David
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Hi Jeff
Congratulations I know how hard this has been on you..as my avatar says "God bless those who fight"
Love and hugs
Jan :-*
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Jeff.
I am thrilled that you won this and got retro payments though it is infuriating that this happened at all in the first place.
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Great News, I'm glad you WON ;D my experience with any lawyers in the past have NEVER been good, (that's right ,I never got anything) just wasted a lotta Money, and a lotta time......but, Congratulations :D
they tried to stick-it-to-you, but, instead you got them, good for you ;D this should have NEVER happened in the 1st place, because of this, you lost your home, and that just isn't acceptable, I hope you sued them for the loss of your home, I sure would have ???
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Hey big guy, so happy that you stuck with it and got reinstated....the interim pain/ depression/ rejection is a huge load to pay just to get what is really due to you....sorry about the house...with the market the way it is you maybe able to find a "bargain" around the area...
Glad you were able to get retro payment...I was elated when my first disability claim came to me with a years back pay....what a great feeling...
Hope to see you in Boston....
Nick