A former casino employee from New Jersey says her Unum disability claim was improperly denied.

According to the lawsuit, plaintiff Shirley G. was a participant in short term and long term disability coverage plans, which she obtained through her employer, the Borgata Hotel & Casino of Atlantic City. The benefits under these policies were covered under the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA).

Shirley says that on May 9, 2016, she left her employment due to a disability as defined by the policy. Since that time, Shirley claims, she has suffered from numerous medical conditions, all covered under the terms of the policy, that have prevented her from engaging in meaningful employment.

Shirley says she filed her claim for short-term disability benefits on May 10, 2016. Four months later, she says she received a letter from the insurance company, notifying her that her claim had been denied as of May 30. She says she filed an appeal, only to have Unum respond with a final administrative denial on April 18, 2017.

Shirley alleges her short-term disability policy had been in full force as of the date of the first denial; had this claim been honored, she argues, the short-term benefits would have become long-term upon expiration of the short-term disability period.

Shirley is not the only insured who alleges she has been denied payment on a legitimate Unum disability claim. Policyholders claim that Unum, a major insurance conglomerate headquartered in Chattanooga, Tenn., has been systematically denying claims for nearly a quarter-century. Unum Group issued nearly 40 percent of the disability policies underwritten in the U.S.

In 2002, a number of Unum employees appeared on a segment of the CBS television news magazine 60 Minutes and reported that the company set quotas and provided incentives for adjusters to deny legitimate claims. Additionally, company physicians have allegedly been instructed to make false statements as to the disabilities of claimants.

In almost two decades, very little has changed, according to plaintiffs like Shirley . Over the years, Unum has faced in excess of 3,000 lawsuits from government agencies as well as consumers. A number of these cases have resulted in settlements worth millions of dollars.

Seeking Help with an Unum Disability Claim

If you have been a policyholder and believe you have been wrongfully denied a legitimate Unum disability claim, you may be eligible to participate in an Unum lawsuit investigation.

The Unum Disability Claim Lawsuit is Case No. 1:18-cv-15552, in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey.

Do YOU have a legal claim? Fill out the form on this page now for a free, immediate, and confidential case evaluation. The bad faith insurance attorneys who work with Top Class Actions will contact you if you qualify to let you know if an individual lawsuit or Unum class action lawsuit is best for you. [In general, Unum bad faith lawsuits are filed individually by each plaintiff and are not class actions.] Hurry — statutes of limitations may apply.

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