A Maine resident recently filed a long-term disability benefits lawsuit against Unum Life Insurance Company of America, alleging it improperly denied his benefits.

According to the long-term disability benefits lawsuit, the plaintiff, Ronald W., had made a career as an accountant. The lawsuit alleges that Ronald purchased individual life insurance policies from Unum over a number of years, including Lifetime Monthly accident benefits for total disability.

Under this policy, if Ronald were to become disabled from an accident prior to the age of 65 and unable to perform his duties as an accountant, Unum would pay benefits.

In February 2012, Ronald W. underwent a surgical operation that accidentally led to a serious bladder injury, disabling him. In response to the plaintiff’s claim for benefits, Unum began paying his disability benefits for around two years, up through May 2014.

However, in May 2014, Unum stopped paying Ronald his disability benefits. According to the termination notice, the plaintiff was disabled due to sickness rather than an accident, and thus wasn’t protected by lifetime accident benefits.

In response, Ronald filed an appeal, hoping to turn Unum’s decision around. This appeal was denied. After exhausting all administrative means of appealing this denial of benefits, Ronald W. decided to file a long-term disability benefits lawsuit against the life insurance giant.

Ronald filed his long-term disability benefits lawsuit on multiple counts, including breach of contract, breach of the covenant of good faith and fair dealing, unfair claims settlement practices, unfair trade practices and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

Filing a Long-Term Disability Benefits Lawsuit

A growing number of plaintiffs are filing disability insurance denial lawsuits against Unum, claiming that the insurance giant unfairly denied their claims to benefits that they qualify for under the terms of their insurance policies.

This Unum long-term disability benefits lawsuit and others like it allege that Unum has unfairly denied the disability insurance claims of plaintiffs who are in fact qualified to receive such benefits.

Some Unum lawsuits go further, alleging that the company purposely denied the claims of hundreds of thousands of workers with legitimate disabilities in order to increase the company’s profit.

Consumers who have exhausted all recourse through applications and appeals for disability benefits may turn to filing a long-term disability benefits lawsuit against the company in the hopes of reversing the denial.

If you or someone you know has been unfairly denied long-term disability benefits by Unum Life Insurance Company of America, you may be able to file a long-term disability benefits lawsuit.

The Unum Long-Term Disability Benefits Lawsuit is Case No. 4:17-cv-40071-TSH, in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts.