Manulife denied my LTD claim so I hired a lawyer (Unfortunately before I found this website). He started my claim and 7 months later we were in negotiations. Many weeks of back and forth and a payout amount was finally reached, then most terms were agreed upon and then we were left negotiating the length of time before re-eligibility of coverage, Manulife wanted full and final, my lawyer argued 5 years was appropriate. It has been 8 weeks since our last phone call. I have emailed him twice to see what is going on and he has replied with “I will follow up”. Anyone ever experienced this? Any advice?
1 Like
If your employer terminates you (2-4 years is typical) then you will lose coverage anyways.
Usually a buyout is permanent and final (AFAIK, I am not a lawyer).
I question why a lawyer wouldn’t fight for approval of benefits.
Maybe @David_Brannen will comment from a lawyer perspective.
1 Like
I can’t speak to your specific situation, but you should confirm with your lawyer if an actual settlement was reached. If there is ongoing disagreement over a key term of the agreement – like when re-eligibility will happen, if at all – then there may not be an agreement.
If there was a settlement, it usually takes 4-6 weeks for things to take effect and funds to be sent, etc. It can take longer for LTD payments to start up if you are in a claim approval situation. However, this varies from case to case depending on whether there is a claim approval or lump-sum settlement agreement.
Usually when lawyers say they will follow up it means they are waiting to hear back form the other side and don’t have anything new to tell you. You should ask to book a meeting with your lawyer for an update rather than just rely on emails.
David Brannen
Disability Lawyer with Resolute Legal
The response posted above is based on the limited factual information made available and is not intended as a full and complete response to the question. The only reliable manner to obtain complete and adequate legal advice is to consult with a lawyer, fully explain your situation, and allow the lawyer enough time to research the applicable law and facts required to give an adequate opinion. The basic information provided above is intended as a public service only, a full one-on-one discussion with a lawyer should be done before taking any any action. The information posted on this forum is available to the viewing public and is not intended to create a lawyer client relationship with any person. If you want one-on-one advice, please click here to request a free consultation or call toll free 1-877-282-5188 to speak with a member with our disability claim support team.