If a Mental Health Problem Requires Work Leave, Disability Benefits Can Help You Through Recovery LTDI Benefits Can Help Workers Experiencing Mental Health Issues
Mental illnesses, such as anxiety, depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), commonly interfere with people’s ability to work. If your mental health condition is so severe that it hinders with your ability to function, you may need to take a leave of absence from your job. Short and long term disability insurance benefits provide a source of income if your mental health condition prevents you from working for an extended period of time.
Most Insurers Recognize Mental Illness as a Basis for Disability
Generally, disability benefits are available to employees who are unable to work as a result of their health problems, regardless of whether those problems are physical or mental. However, unlike a physical injury such as a broken leg, which is overt and apparent to supervisors and coworkers, mental impairments are not as obvious. Individuals struggling with their mental health usually do not disclose their illness and, to the contrary, often attempt to suppress their symptoms due to the unfortunate stigma associated with such conditions. Despite the unique challenges of identifying and treating mental health conditions, both the medical community and insurance companies recognize mental illness as a real and serious disease.
Disability Benefits May Be Limited to 24 Months
While insurance companies acknowledge mental illness as a disabling condition, they limit the amount of time for which they will pay benefits. Most long term disability insurance policies only will pay disability benefits for two years if the disabling condition is mental. Thus, it is important to understand both the terms of your plan and the nature of your medical condition. If mental illness is only one component of your disability, or if you have structural brain damage, the mental health limitation may not apply.
We Help Workers Unable to Work due to Mental Health Challenges
Hawks Quindel’s disability attorneys frequently represent individuals who cannot work due to their mental health. We work directly with clients and their doctors to obtain the necessary information to prove these disability claims. Contact us if you would like to discuss your situation or legal rights with a Wisconsin disability attorney.
Please call a Madison disability attorney directly at (608) 257-0040 or a Milwaukee disability attorney at (414) 271-8650, or email us via our Contact Page. To learn more about our Long Term Disability practice, please see our
Long Term Disability blog topics.