Do You Qualify for Disability Insurance Benefits?
Whether you qualify for disability benefits in Ottawa depends on two main things: your medical evidence and the details of your policy. In order to access LTD benefits, you’ll need to demonstrate that you’re totally disabled, as defined by the disability test in your plan.
During the first two years of a claim, the focus is on whether you can perform the essential duties of your “own occupation.” After that period, the policy definition often changes to “any occupation,” which is a more challenging test. That’s when many claims are terminated. Sometimes, insurers might claim you can do some lighter or different work, even if your treatment professionals indicate otherwise.
The strongest weapon in these cases? Clear, consistent medical documentation. Proper documentation from family doctors, specialists, or therapists creates a clear record of your limitations. If you’re struggling with chronic pain, mental health conditions like depression, or unpredictable illnesses such as irritable bowel syndrome, your physician reports and evaluations must paint a complete picture. Without them, the carrier may conclude that you’re not totally disabled.
If you’re unsure whether you qualify, the best step is to contact a disability lawyer today. Our experienced lawyers will review your file, explain how the disability test applies in your situation, and outline a clear path forward. We don’t just quote policy terms. We walk you through how the definitions actually apply to your life and your work.
What to Do If Your Claim Is Denied?
That denial letter might feel crushing, but it’s not the final word. If your disability claim is denied, you have options. The key is to act quickly, because most insurance companies impose deadlines for the appeals process. More importantly, there is a limitation date after which you cannot start a legal claim to challenge the LTD decision in court.
Here’s what to do if your disability claim is denied in Ottawa:
- Review the decision letter carefully. Insurers must explain their reasons. They may say your medical condition doesn’t meet the disability test, or that there isn’t enough medical evidence.
- Gather medical records. Updated medical evaluations often reveal gaps or missing details that insurers relied on.
- Contact a disability lawyer today. A lawyer can explain whether it makes sense to appeal internally or move directly into a legal process.
- Consider financial risk. Continuing without proper guidance can lead to delays, missed deadlines, or even permanent loss of benefits.
- Focus on your health. The burden of paperwork and back-and-forth with a disability insurance company should not fall on someone already struggling to recover.
Our team works tirelessly to help people overturn terminated or denied LTD benefits. We know how to carefully present your medical condition, highlight the strength of your medical evidence, and effectively challenge technical legal arguments.
Some clients wish to use the appeals process with the insurance provider; however, it is usually necessary to start a legal claim in court. Whatever the case, the main goal is to make sure you continue to receive your monthly benefits, or negotiate a lump sum settlement if that turns out to be the best or only option for you.
When you choose to work with our disability law firm, you won’t have to worry about paying upfront fees. This allows you to focus on your recovery without any additional financial stress. Our experienced lawyers, who are well-versed in disability law, and personal injury, will be there for you every step of the way. Clients in Ottawa can count on our support when they’re facing insurance companies that seem to have all of the power.
How We Help with Denied Long-Term Disability Claims
It is hard enough to conclude that you cannot continue to work and need to apply for disability benefits. Getting that dreaded denial letter back from the insurer can feel like a battle you cannot continue to fight. Many insured persons in Ottawa and the surrounding areas come to us after being denied or cut off. Some have been through the appeals process once or twice already. Others never tried to appeal because they felt overwhelmed.
Our job is to examine the reasons behind denied claims and build a strategy to challenge them. Sometimes, the issue is a lack of complete medical evidence. Other times, the insurer argues the insured person is not totally disabled under the disability test. We review the medical records, work with specialists for updated evaluations, and create proper documentation that leaves no room for doubt.
When your claim is denied, that’s when the real panic sets in. It’s something that puts your entire family at financial risk. That’s why our Ontario disability lawyers act quickly to preserve rights, extend coverage, and make sure all of our clients have a clear path forward.
Standing Up to Ottawa’s Biggest Insurers – Level the Playing Field
When you’re sick or injured, the last thing you want is a fight with a billion-dollar insurance company. Insurers have adjusters, lawyers, and endless resources. You don’t, and you shouldn’t have to go toe-to-toe with them by yourself.
Here at Burn Tucker Lachaîne, our disability law firm has taken on the biggest insurers in Ottawa and across Ontario. We know how insurers think, what will change their minds and how to fight them when they cannot be convinced to pay your claim.
Our Ottawa disability lawyers regularly challenge insurers such as:
- Manulife
- Sun Life
- Canada Life
- RBC Insurance
- Desjardins
- Blue Cross
- Industrial Alliance
- Beneva / SSQ
- The Co-operators
- Empire Life
Whether your disability claim is denied, delayed, or terminated prematurely, we know how to push back. Our legal team brings the experience and persistence needed to level the playing field, so you can focus on your health while we fight for your benefits.
We step into that fight for you. You don’t have to figure out the legal process alone. You don’t have to determine deadlines, arrange medical evaluations, or worry about the policy terms and requirements buried inside your insurance policy. We do that heavy lifting so that you can focus on recovery.
The Role of a Long Term Disability Insurance Lawyer
We investigate, we gather evidence, and we explain each step of the legal process in plain language. We don’t leave clients confused about the process or what to expect.
A long-term disability lawyer helps with:
- Reviewing your insurance policy and outlining your rights
- Explaining the disability test and what counts as total disability
- Challenging technical denials such as pre-existing condition exclusions or claims of inadequate treatment
- Gathering medical evidence, medical records, and scheduling medical evaluations
- Challenging denied claims through the appeals process or by filing a legal claim in court
- Negotiating fair settlements, including the possibility of a one-time lump sum
That’s what real disability law expertise looks like.
We Represent Clients Across Ottawa and Beyond
We don’t just serve clients in downtown Ottawa. We represent clients in Orleans, Kanata, Nepean, Barrhaven, Gloucester, and across Eastern Ontario. Every insured person in the region deserves access to an experienced lawyer who can fight for LTD benefits.
Our disability law firm has stood with teachers, construction workers, office professionals, healthcare staff, and small business owners. The illnesses and injuries vary, but the frustration is always the same: dealing with a disability insurance company that refuses to pay what the policy promised.
We represent clients who are totally disabled by chronic pain. We represent clients with mental health conditions like severe anxiety or depression. We represent clients whose conditions are invisible, such as fibromyalgia or irritable bowel syndrome, but are no less real and disabling.
Protecting Your Income Replacement Benefits
Strip everything else away, and one issue remains at the core of every case: income replacement. LTD benefits exist to provide ongoing support that replaces part of your income when you’re unable to work. Without them, the financial risk is immediate and serious.
Our job is to ensure those income replacement benefits are not lost. Whether that means monthly LTD payments continue until you recover, or negotiating a lump sum settlement when that’s the only option available, we build a strategy that works for your future together step by step.
Legal Expertise in Long Term Disability Claims
Disability law is not like other areas of law. It requires a blend of knowledge in insurance law, employment law, and even personal injury. That mix of legal expertise allows us to approach every case with flexibility.
We know how most insurance companies interpret their policies. We know what medical evidence carries weight in court. We know how to challenge improper surveillance, biased medical evaluations, and denial letters built on flimsy reasoning.
When you hire an Ontario disability lawyer, you deserve someone who understands the big picture but also sweats the small details. That’s how cases are won.
Our Law Firm’s Commitment to Ottawa Residents
We’re not a call-centre operation based outside the province. We are a disability law firm rooted in Ontario, with lawyers who live and work in the same communities as our clients. We know Ottawa. We know the national capital region. We know the neighbourhoods where our clients live.
That local connection matters. It means we understand the local healthcare system, the local job market, and the local courts. It means we’re here when you need us, not just a voice on the other end of a phone line.
Our promise is straightforward: to serve Ottawa clients with integrity, persistence, and results that make a difference.
Serving Ottawa and Nearby Communities
If you live anywhere in the National Capital Region and your claim has been denied or delayed, we’re here to help. No matter which neighbourhood you call home, you can count on us to provide experienced guidance and legal support.
We assist clients across Ottawa, including:
- Kanata
- Nepean
- Barrhaven
- Orleans
- Gloucester
- Vanier
- Centretown
- The Glebe
- Alta Vista
- South Keys
- Riverside South
- Stittsville
- Rockcliffe Park
- Cumberland
Why Choose Our Long-Term Disability Denial Lawyers in Ottawa
Choosing a disability lawyer today can feel overwhelming. There are plenty of firms promising results and claiming expertise. Here’s why clients across Ottawa trust us:
- A dedicated legal team. Every case gets the focus it deserves. You’re not a file number. You’re a person with a story that matters.
- Experience with denied claims. We’ve seen denial letters for every reason imaginable and know how to respond.
- Knowledge of disability law, the lawyers working for the insurers and how to navigate the system to get results.
- Focus on a positive outcome. Whether it’s continuing monthly benefit or securing a lump sum settlement, we build cases to achieve success.
- No upfront cost. You don’t take on extra financial risk. Our law firm only gets paid when you do.
A Legal Team Dedicated to Your Success
Behind every successful LTD claim, there’s not just a single lawyer, but a dedicated legal team working together. We’re here to support our clients with caring paralegals, researchers, and assistants who ensure all necessary documents are perfectly in order. We also work closely with doctors to obtain important medical evaluations. Every step is carefully prepared, whether we’re negotiating or heading into a trial, to give our clients the best possible support.
That dedication shows in our results. Ottawa residents know they can trust our disability law firm to fight tirelessly until there is a clear path forward. We’re here when you need us most. Contact us at 519-800-4482 and set up your free consultation today.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common Reasons for Denial of Long-Term Disability Claims
The most common reasons insurers deny LTD claims in Ottawa include a lack of medical evidence, missing paperwork, or disputes about whether you are totally disabled under the disability test. Many denial letters cite “insufficient documentation,” even when medical records clearly support an inability to work.
In practice, all insurance companies are required to scrutinize claims and only pay in clear cases. They may argue you can perform “any occupation,” even if your condition makes regular and consistent employment impossible. They may request medical evaluations or use surveillance to suggest you’re more active than reported. Chronic pain, mental health conditions, and illnesses like irritable bowel syndrome are particularly vulnerable to denial because they are harder to measure with traditional tests.
That’s why proper documentation is critical. When an insured person has complete, consistent medical records and support from treating physicians, the insurer’s arguments fail. An experienced lawyer can highlight inconsistencies in the insurer’s reasoning and challenge the denial effectively.
How to Prove That I’m Disabled?
To prove disability, you need strong, detailed medical evidence. This includes physician reports, test results, and documentation of how your condition affects daily activities and work. The disability test often requires showing that you cannot perform your own occupation, and after two years, any occupation.
Proving disability is not just about having a diagnosis. It’s about demonstrating how that medical condition leaves you totally disabled. For example, someone with chronic pain may have normal scans, but detailed physician notes and consistent records can establish functional limitations. Mental health conditions like depression and anxiety often require psychological evaluations to show severity.
Gathering proper documentation from multiple providers helps establish credibility. Sometimes medical evaluations from specialists carry more weight than general notes from a family doctor. Our legal team coordinates these records so insurers cannot claim gaps or inconsistencies.
How Long Do Long-Term Disability Benefits Last in Ottawa?
LTD benefits usually last until age 65 if you remain totally disabled and continue meeting the disability test under your insurance policy. However, insurers will continue reassess claims and often terminate benefits earlier.
Typically, LTD benefits start after the elimination period, which may be 90 to 120 days after the last day of work or when short-term disability benefits end. From there, you receive monthly benefits until either recovery, or policy expiry. The benefit amount depends on your insurance policy and your pre-disability income.
Keep in mind that most insurance policies reduce LTD benefits if you receive CPP disability benefits or other income. That coordination can be confusing, and sometimes insurers miscalculate offsets. An Ontario disability lawyer ensures you receive the appropriate benefit without unfair deductions.
Can I Be Terminated While on Disability Leave in Ottawa?
Yes, an employer can terminate employment during a disability leave, but not because the employee is disabled. Termination must be unrelated, such as restructuring. If you are terminated due to disability, it can lead to both employment law and disability law claims.
If you’ve been let go while on leave, it’s essential to contact a disability lawyer today. You may have both a legal claim for wrongful dismissal and a claim against the disability insurance company. Navigating these two areas requires legal expertise, as the outcome of one can impact the other.
How Much Do Long-Term Disability Lawyers Charge in Ottawa?
Our Ottawa disability lawyers work on a contingency fee basis, meaning you pay only if your case succeeds. There are no upfront fees, so there’s little financial risk to starting a claim.
The fee structure typically involves a percentage of recovered LTD benefits or a lump sum settlement. During your free consultation, we will explain exactly how our fees work, providing complete transparency.
Hiring a disability lawyer is an investment in your future security. Without legal support, denied claims remain unpaid. With an experienced lawyer, you gain leverage against the disability insurance carrier and improve your chance of keeping monthly benefits or securing a settlement.
Take the Next Step – Contact a Disability Lawyer Today
If you live in Ottawa or anywhere in the national capital region and your disability claim is denied or cut off, you don’t have to accept it. Here at Burn Tucker Lachaîne we support clients from Kanata to Orleans, Nepean to Barrhaven, and everywhere in between.
Whether you are dealing with short-term disability benefits that stopped too soon, an LTD claim denied after the elimination period, or questions about what you can be required to do while receiving benefits, we can help. We represent clients with medical conditions ranging from chronic pain to complex mental health conditions.
You deserve a clear path forward. Contact a disability lawyer today and get a free consultation. Our legal team will fight for the maximum amount you are entitled to, whether through monthly benefits or a fair lump sum settlement.
Reviews
January 4, 2026 
Long Term Disability 
