Sarah Mirando  |  May 23, 2013

Category: Labor & Employment

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Consumer's Disability Benefits Discontinued, Prompting Unum LawsuitSearch the web for Unum horror stories, and you’ll find them in abundance. The disability and life insurance company is notorious for denying benefits with no cause, stopping payments for no reason, and basically giving policyholders a hard time during a very difficult part of their life. Unfortunately, Unum is also a pretty common company and there are thousands of policyholders around the U.S. Unless the time comes when you need to file a disability claim, or your loved one needs to file a life insurance claim, you probably haven’t had much contact with the company.

Leah Bilyeu of California filed a disability claim with Unum, which was her company-provided insurance company. Bilyeu filed her long-term disability claim in 2004 after physicians considered her unable to work because of a slew of medical conditions. In fact, her condition was so severe that doctors said she’s unable to work any position whatsoever, let alone her former one. She began receiving disability benefits from Unum six months after filing her claim, but that waiting period was just the beginning of her troubles.

Unum Stops Disability Payments

Bilyeu received regular Unum payments for two years, until one day the benefits mysteriously stopped. When Bilyeu called Unum, she was told there was a two-year cap on receiving compensation, which does very little to help someone on long-term disability. According to Unum, that’s the maximum a person can receive whose disability is solely from mental illness, and the company pointed to Unum’s own report that said Bilyeu’s chronic fatigue is “largely” caused by anxiety and depression. However, Bilyeu’s own physician had argued that point, stating that her disability was mostly physical.

According to Unum, Bilyeu should be able to work a sedentary job and they weren’t going to pay for more than 24 months. It didn’t stop there. Bilyeu also received social security disability payments during this period, which is normal for those on long-term disability. Once Unum found this out, the company sought to recover almost $36,000 from Bilyeu, claiming she was over-compensated. That was the counterattack from Unum: When Bilyeu tried to challenge the termination of her long-term disability payments, Unum countered by asking for $36,000 in repayment.

Unum vs. Bilyeu

By this time, Bilyeu secured a disability insurance attorney like so many other Unum victims. Fortunately, the court found that Unum had no basis to seek compensation from Bilyeu. This was because Bilyeu no longer had the cold hard cash; it had been spent on medication, living expenses and other requirements for someone who is unable to work due to a disability. That didn’t work out for Unum, so the company then went after Bilyeu’s general assets as a means of trumping up the $35,000+ dollars. That’s also illegal, which the court quickly pointed out.

Bilyeu’s court battle with Unum isn’t over yet, but she’s one of the “lucky” ones. Imagine what would happen if she hadn’t sought legal help. There are many other Unum victims just like her around the country feeling bullied by the company.

Do You Have Unum?

If you have or had Unum and have been denied a claim for insurance benefits, had your benefits stopped, or the company has asked you to repay them, you might have a Unum legal claim. Unfortunately, you’re also likely struggling with these issues during a difficult time in your life.

Learn more about your options at the Unum/UnumProvident Disability Insurance Claim Denial Class Action Lawsuit Investigation. Once you submit your information, an attorney will contact you for a free Unum claim review if you have a case.

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