A new Unum lawsuit has been filed alleging the company wrongfully denied disability benefits under the plaintiff’s employee welfare benefit plan.

Plaintiff Melissa B. initiated her disability benefits claim with Unum after an undisclosed disability left her unable to perform the functions of her job.

These alleged bad faith insurance practices also serve as the foundation for the increasing number of disability insurance lawsuits being filed against Unum Insurance. Melissa filed her Unum disability benefits lawsuit on March 2, in Florida federal court.

Melissa claims that Unum failed and refused to pay her disability benefits as outlined in her employee welfare benefit plan.

Short-term and long-term disability benefits are used to help individuals financially in the event they are unable to work due to a temporary or permanent disability, whether or not that disability is work-related.

The disability benefits lawsuit also alleges Unum had also subjected Melissa to an unreasonable claims process.

She claims that Unum’s denial of her disability benefits failed to comply under the “full and fair review” provisions of ERISA.

Melissa has exhausted all administrative remedies and is suing Unum to recover the disability benefits as pursuant to her disability insurance policy.

She is also seeking to recoup attorney’s fees and present evidence of her disability under the de novo standard to the court.

Examples of Unfair Disabilty Benefits Practices

Some of the most common examples of Unum Insurance bad faith practices are:

• Failing to promptly and completely investigate a claim
• Delaying payment unreasonably
• Denying benefits on a legitimate claim
• Unreasonably interpreting policy terms and language
• Refusing to reimburse you for your entire loss under a legitimate claim
• Failing to provide a clear explanation for denying a claim
• Failing to tell policyholders of all benefits available to them
• Making it too difficult or exhaustive to provide adequate documentation

In 2004, a multi-state investigation concluded that Unum denied legitimate insurance claims as a business tactic. The company even offered incentives to its employees to dismiss claims that should have been paid to policyholders in need.

California’s insurance commissioner at the time called Unum an “outlaw company” that operates in an “illegal fashion.”

Filing an Unum Disability Benefits Lawsuit

Unum is the largest disability insurance company in the nation. Unum has faced thousands of individual lawsuits filed by disability lawyers on behalf of policyholders who allege their disability claims were wrongly denied.

In fact, disability lawyers have been holding the company accountable for their actions through individual lawsuits and class actions since 2002.  Many of these lawsuits were either settled or ended in the plaintiff’s favor for a substantial award.

If Unum unfairly denied your disability benefits, contact an experienced attorney for a free consultation regarding your legal rights and options.

The Unum Disability Benefits Lawsuit is Case No. 3:16-cv-00204-HES-PDB in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, Jacksonville Division.