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Lawsuit Says Unum Insurance Policyholder Jumped Through Endless Hoops
By Jessica Tyner
If you have life insurance provided by your employer, there’s a good chance it’s from Unum — the biggest life insurance and long-term disability (LTD) provider in the country. Most people don’t look very closely at their policy until they need it, and that can be a big mistake. There are numerous policyholders suing Unum for allegedly denying payment of their claims without just cause.One such plaintiff, Gregory Pottorff, filed his Unum lawsuit on September 24, 2013, joining dozens of others with claim denial stories to tell.
According to his Unum lawsuit, Pottorff was employed by Atlas Copco until he became disabled in May 2009. He was a Machine Shop Group Leader, and was forced to stop working due to a cervical neck injury and underwent cervical fusion surgery. His last day of employment was May 1, 2009.
“Mr. Pottorff applied and was approved for long-term disability benefits, which he received until his disability benefits were terminated by UNUM. He has provided significant medical proof of his disability from his treating physicians, who have repeatedly opined that Mr. Pottorff is totally disabled from performing any occupation,” the Unum lawsuit states. “Despite this proof, the Defendants refuse to pay Mr. Pottorff his long-term disability benefits. As a result of the denial of benefits, he suffers from serious financial and emotional distress.”
Some (now former) Unum employees have voluntarily provided information to major media outlets like CBS to expose the inner workings of the company. There were allegedly bonuses for employees who could deny the biggest claims and the driving force of the company is to pay out as little as possible. Unum has also only used their “own” doctors, which they paid, in an effort to try to discredit diagnoses.
“From May 2009, when Gregory Pottorff was forced to leave active employment, until the present, he remains unable to perform the material duties of his regular occupation or for any occupation for which he is reasonably qualified based on his education, training or experience. He provided the Defendants with ample medical evidence to verify his disability under the Atlas Disability Plan,” but that was of no help, he claims. “The Defendants have intentionally and without reasonable justification denied Mr. Pottorff’s long term disability benefits in violation of the Atlas Disability Plan and ERISA.”
He isn’t after an award beyond what he’s rightly due under his policy. Instead, Pottorff is requesting that Unum pay the disability benefits he says he is owed, as well as any back benefits he was unjustly denied.
The Unum lawsuit is Gregory Pottorff v. Unum Life Insurance Company of America, et. al, Case No. 1:13-cv-1537, the United States District Court Southern District of Indiana Indianapolis Division.
Were Your Unum Benefits Stopped or Denied?
Do you relate all too well to this story? If so, you may have an Unum claim review. Learn more about what you can do by visiting the Unum/UnumProvident Disability Insurance Claim Denial Class Action Lawsuit Investigation and submitting your story for a free case evaluation. You may be able to obtain the benefits that you paid for and are rightfully yours.
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