Claiming that Unum Life Insurance Company wrongfully denied her long-term disability benefits, a Texas woman filed a Unum claims denial lawsuit last month in federal court.

After exhausting all her administrative appeals to the insurance provider, plaintiff Delana Z. filed a Unum lawsuit alleging that Unum breached its obligations under the federal labor law ERISA, asking for her benefits to be paid along with interest since January 2014, and reimbursement for her attorneys’ fees.

Delana, a 52-year old former registered nurse previously employed at Montgomery County Management Company, ceased working in June 2011 when her degenerative and traumatic injuries left her unable to fulfill the physical demands of her position, according to her Unum lawsuit. Delana alleges she was declared totally disabled at that time and thus eligible for disability benefits under her employer’s Unum disability plan.

Delana suffers from multiple medical conditions including a diffuse system connective tissue disease, autoimmune disease, Sjogren’s syndrome, lupus, and biliary cirrhosis. After being unable to perform her work duties, Delana did apply for and receive her short-term disability but was denied long-term disability benefits by Unum.

Despite Delana’s documented deteriorating condition, Unum denied awarding her long-term disability benefits even though they had provided her with her short-term disability benefits and knew that her Social Security disability benefits had been approved, the lawsuit said.

In Delana’s Unum lawsuit, she alleges that Unum did not follow its own procedures, rules, and guidelines because the insurer did not “give weight to the Plaintiff’s favorable Social Security disability determination” as it was supposed to, nor did the insurer consider the additional evidence of her disability when it denied her long-term disability benefits.

On Aug. 22, 2014, Delana received her last denial letter from Unum for reconsidering her disability claim, which led Delana to file her Unum bad faith insurance lawsuit.

Unum Bad Faith Insurance Practices

Unum, previously known as First Unum and Unum Provident, was the subject of national headlines in 2004 when a class action lawsuit was filed that shed a spotlight on systematic deliberate denial of claims taking place at all levels of management at Unum.

Memos showed that Unum was deliberately denying claims, telling claims adjusters that the more claims they denied the more likely they would keep their jobs and earn incentive bonuses.

Two investigative news stories aired on 60 Minutes and Dateline that showed the suspect practices of Unum Life Insurance Company.   Additionally, former employees of Unum spoke out against the company, claiming the insurance provider put profits before responsibility to provide disability insurance.

Unum Lawsuits

Many disability lawsuits against Unum fall under federal ERISA guidelines governing group insurance benefits. Other actions against Unum include bad faith lawsuits in the matter of claims denied or terminated under individual disability coverage.

If you or a loved one have suffered a serious disability while insured by Unum Provident and have been denied disability insurance benefits, you may have a claim against Unum Provident.

The Unum Disability Benefits Lawsuit is Case No. 4:15-cv-01025, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division.