Receiving a long-term disability (LTD) denial can feel overwhelming. After months of medical appointments, paperwork, and waiting for a decision, many people are left wondering what to do next and whether they should appeal on their own or hire a lawyer. The honest answer is: it depends.
Whether you should appeal on your own depends on why your claim was denied, what evidence is already in your file, and what opportunities you have to strengthen your case before your appeal deadline. Those are the same questions I ask when someone contacts my office after receiving a denial letter.
As an attorney who represents long-term disability claimants nationwide, I know that not everyone needs a lawyer to prepare their appeal simply because they've received a denial. However, I also know that many people unintentionally weaken their cases by submitting an appeal without understanding what the insurance company is actually looking for.
Before deciding whether to handle your appeal yourself, it's important to understand what is at stake.
Can You Appeal A Long-Term Disability Denial Without a Lawyer?
One of the most common questions people ask after receiving a long-term disability denial is whether they can handle the appeal on their own. The question you should be asking is not necessarily whether you can appeal without a lawyer, but rather whether your appeal is strong enough to address the insurance company's reasons for denying your claim and build the strongest possible record in support of your case.
Some appeals involve straightforward issues, such as obtaining additional medical records or correcting missing paperwork. However, many require addressing complex legal, medical, and vocational issues that may not be obvious from the denial letter. For example, the insurance company may have relied on a physician who never examined you, misunderstood the demands of your occupation, applied the wrong definition of disability, or concluded that the medical evidence does not support your claimed limitations.
The challenge is that it is not always easy to identify which type of case you have. Before deciding whether to appeal your denial on your own, consider what is at stake. For many employer-sponsored long-term disability policies governed by ERISA, the administrative appeal is often your last meaningful opportunity to submit additional evidence supporting your claim. If important medical records, physician opinions, vocational evidence, or other documentation are not included during the appeal, you may not have another opportunity to add them later. That's why an appeal should never be treated as simply writing a letter saying: "I disagree with your decision." Instead,
your appeal should be viewed as an opportunity to build the strongest possible record supporting your disability. See our guide on long-term disability appeals.
Before you submit your appeal, you should understand why your claim was denied, what evidence the insurance company relied upon, what evidence may still be missing, and whether your appeal fully addresses the insurer's stated reasons for denying your claim.
Download the LTD Appeal Self-Assessment Checklist (PDF)
We Can Help
Every long-term disability claim is different. Sometimes the issues are straightforward. Other times, they involve policy interpretation, vocational evidence, medical documentation, or procedural requirements that may not be obvious from the denial letter alone.
If you've received a long-term disability denial and aren't sure whether to appeal on your own or hire an attorney, we're happy to review your situation, explain your options, and help you determine the best path forward.
Hiring a lawyer does not guarantee your appeal will be approved, but an experienced attorney can help identify issues that may not be obvious and work to ensure the strongest possible evidence is submitted before the administrative record closes.
Contact us today to discuss options for your LTD appeal.