To Pursue, or Not to Pursue?

[ol_jed_boy]

I am almost sixty years old and I live in Georgia, U.S.A

This question is concerning disability insurance...

I became disabled while working for a company that supplied long and
short term disability benefits which I participated in.

The disability was due to both pre-existing conditions which had
advanced and, I believe, work related requirements causing the
conditions to advance more quickly than they normally would have.
(Arthritis)

In April of this year I applied for and received, eventually, short
term disability benefits from the Insurance Company who supplies those
benefits to the company I had worked for.

The process of applying for the benefits was extremely frustrating,
very involved and took considerable time. At almost every turn it
seemed, the Insurance Company did their best in an effort to deny the
coverage.

After three months (the extent of the short term coverage) I was told
by a Representative of the Insurance Company that I would be required
to re-apply all over again in any attempt to gain benefits from the
long term coverage.

The thought of going through the entire process once again just about
drove me nuts! My doctor advised me that this is what the Insurance
companies do to try to influence you "not" to go after the benefits
you paid your premiums for.

Unfortunately, their "method" worked on me too. I decided to go out
and do my best to get back to work with no improvement in my physical
condition.

I made two separate attempts with two separate companies. Neither job
lasted more than a few weeks due to my now, permanent physical
condition.

The most recent job ended with me unconscious on a concrete floor. I
had a fall after losing my balance while working in a woman's garage.

Other than some bruises and an aching head, the only damage I could
feel was to my pride. I finished up the work as well as I could and
went home... Both attempts to work and get around the disability
nightmare had failed. What do I do now?

I am still in the correct "time limits" for applying to the Insurance
Company I had paid premiums to for the long term disability.

Here is my question on all of this...

What is the likelihood of the Insurance Company declaring me to be
"Ineligible" to receive benefits for long term disability after I had
chosen to return, or attempt to return to similar work?

Did I shoot myself in the foot? Am I wasting my time? Did I disqualify myself?

Thanks in advance...

[seniorjudge]

Take a shot at it.

[CyberSiteSearch]

I would agree and say give it a try.

After all, you have nothing to lose.