What Is A Physician’s Statement And Why Is It So Important?
My name is Brandon Osterbind and I am an injury and disability attorney in Central Virginia. I work with people whose long-term disability claims have been denied and help them get on claim or get their benefits approved. And one of the things that we always ask for is a physician’s statement. But you may be wondering, “What is a physician’s statement?”
What is a physician’s statement?
It’s also called a narrative. We’re asking your doctor, your physician, for his or her version of why you cannot work. A lot of times, we’ll include a copy of your job description with our letter asking for your doctor’s opinion. And we’ll ask the doctor to detail the different reasons why you are unable to work.
Why is a proper physician’s statement important?
This is important because the form that the insurance company will send your doctor is woefully inadequate. It’s always insufficient and far too short. It never asks for all the right information. And we need to make sure that the insurance company has the right information in its file in order for it to make the right decision.
How can you ask the insurance company to make a decision in your favor when you haven’t given them the medical information necessary for them to make that decision for you?
What a proper physician’s statement looks like
It’s important to have a physician’s statement, and not just any physician’s statement. It can’t just be half a page of chicken scratch that the doctor filled out when he was in between patients and in a rush. It has to be a detailed narrative report that outlines your treatment with the doctor and why the doctor has said that you are unable to work.
Why you need your doctors’ support
If you do not have support from your physicians with respect to your ability or inability to work, then you will never win your long-term disability claim. You have to have your doctors on your side. And ultimately, they need to be willing to write a letter to the insurance company detailing why you can’t work.
If you have any questions
Have you come across a doctor who has refused to do this for you? Do you need help getting a physician’s statement? Perhaps you’re not sure if all of the information that you have is enough. If so, give us a call. We’ll look over your claim. We’ll be happy to review the denial letter sent by the insurance company for free and give you a strategy on how to get your claim approved.
