Understanding Long-Term Disability and COVID-19
Long-term disability (LTD) insurance is supposed to help when you can’t work because of an illness or injury. But for many people who are still suffering from the lasting effects of COVID-19, getting those benefits has been an uphill battle. Too many insurers are denying legitimate claims, leaving people struggling not only with their health but also their finances.
When Returning to Work Isn’t Safe
We represent people whose careers have been derailed by serious health conditions, including long COVID. For some, returning to a physical workplace is no longer safe. That’s especially true for people who are immunocompromised or who live with vulnerable family members. Conditions like cancer, diabetes, and autoimmune diseases can weaken the immune system, making exposure to COVID at work far too risky. LTD benefits can provide vital financial support while you protect your health and care for your family.
The Reality of Long COVID
We also represent individuals who developed what’s now called “long-haul COVID” or “long COVID.” These are people who were once healthy and active but are now facing symptoms that just won’t go away, including crushing fatigue, memory problems, shortness of breath, and difficulty concentrating. Many have been unable to return to work for months, sometimes years, yet their disability claims have been denied because insurance companies argue there’s “no objective evidence” of their condition.
Science Is Finally Catching Up
For the first time, science is providing measurable proof of how COVID can affect the brain. A recent study published by the National Institutes of Health, along with research from Japan, found that people with long COVID exhibit significant changes in brain chemistry linked to cognitive impairment. Using advanced PET imaging, researchers focused on AMPA receptors — proteins involved in memory and learning — and discovered widespread increases in receptor levels throughout the brain.1 These elevated levels were directly associated with worse performance on memory and thinking tests and correlated with markers of inflammation. The findings confirm that long COVID brain fog is a measurable, biological condition and point to potential new targets for diagnostics and therapies.
What This Means for Your Disability Claim
This is a notable advancement for long-term disability claims. It shows that long COVID is not just a collection of subjective symptoms but a real, biologically measurable condition. That provides support to
assert that denials based on “lack of objective evidence” are now invalid arguments. Medical research is catching up, and the science is now on our side.
How We Can Help You Fight for Benefits
If you’ve been denied long-term disability benefits because of long COVID, or if your health makes it unsafe to return to work, you’re not alone. Our firm helps people fight back against insurance denials and get the benefits they deserve. We know how to navigate the complexities of LTD claims, especially when new medical research is on your side.
You’ve worked hard for your career and your peace of mind. We’re here to help you protect both.
- 1 Yu Fujimoto, Systemic Increase of AMPA Receptors Associated with Cognitive Impairment of Long COVID, NATIONAL LIBRARY OF MEDICINE (Oct. 1 2025), https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12483584/. ↩︎