If you’ve suffered an injury or illness that has left you unable to work, everyday events can become harrowing experiences. Suddenly, small car repairs, household upkeep and electric bills become difficult – if not impossible – to overcome. With no income and an influx of bills, it’s easy to fall prey to pessimism, throw your hands in the air and give up hope.

At Giffels Law, though, we’re here to reassure you that there are steps that you can take to get things back on track. Today, we’re going to look at a couple tips that will help you navigate these troublesome circumstances.

First, take a deep breath and get organized

All those bills that are accumulating? Those hospital records? The emails from your employer and the doctor’s notes in the junk drawer? Gather them all together, every last one of them, and put them in a big pile. When you have everything, take a deep breath and prepare yourself for an intense hour of organization.

Once you’ve put yourself in the right frame of mind, start sorting your documents. First, separate them into piles based on their content… medical records, work documentation, pertinent bills and so forth. After you’ve completed that step, sort each pile according to the date that it was received. It may seem tedious but you’ll thank yourself later when you need to find a specific reference and immediately know where to find it.

Finally, be aware of appeals. If you are fighting with your long term disability insurer for benefits, you probably have been told you have a right to an appeal. Be very careful about submitting an appeal on your own. This could be a trap. If you have to file a lawsuit, most of the time the judge can only look at what is in the administrative record to decide your case. What is the Administrative Record? Basically, the policy, the file from the insurance company, and your appeal documents. It is best to have an experienced disability attorney prepare your appeal so that the administrative record contains documents that favor your case.

Next, contact a disability lawyer

It’s almost impossible to navigate the murky waters of disability law without the help of a lawyer. Your claim can be denied for the slightest of reasons and, if you aren’t careful, you can back yourself into a corner from which you can’t escape. A disability attorney will make sure that you’re taking the optimal path from A to B, that is, the best path from frustrated to vindicated.

Here at Giffels Law, we understand that anyone filing a disability claim is experiencing difficult times… physically, mentally and financially. To lift some of that burden, we represent clients on a contingency basis, meaning that no payment is required up front and our fees would be paid out of the proceeds of any eventual settlement or judgment. With this option, you can rest assured that we’ve fully aligned ourselves with your interests because, at the end of the day, we’re both working for the same thing. Furthermore, if no settlement is reached, you owe no fees.

If you or someone that you know is stuck fighting their disability claim, we encourage you to contact us. Our staff is always on hand, ready and willing to consult with you on how to best approach your case.

(269) 381-4172