No one plans for a serious illness or injury, yet life can change in an instant. Each year, thousands of workers across Ohio and Michigan find themselves unable to earn a living because of health conditions that last for months—or even years. When your paycheck stops but your expenses don’t, long-term disability benefits can provide a vital source of income and stability. These benefits replace a portion of your wages while you focus on recovery, ensuring that you can continue supporting yourself and your family even when you cannot work. Understanding how long-term disability coverage works, who qualifies, and what steps to take when filing a claim is essential to protecting your financial future.
At Gallon, Takacs & Boissoneault Co., L.P.A., we’ve spent more than 70 years helping injured and disabled individuals obtain the benefits they deserve. Our experienced disability attorneys understand how complex insurance policies and claims procedures can be—and we’re here to guide you through every stage of the process with knowledge, compassion, and proven results.
What Is Long-Term Disability Insurance?
Long-term disability insurance replaces a portion of your income when you’re unable to work due to a qualifying illness or injury. Most LTD policies pay between 50 and 70 percent of your pre-disability earnings after a waiting period known as the elimination period, typically lasting 90 to 180 days.
While short-term disability insurance generally provides only a few months of coverage, LTD benefits are designed to last much longer—often until recovery, a set duration such as five or ten years, or even until retirement age.
LTD insurance helps maintain financial stability by covering everyday costs like housing, food, and utilities while you’re unable to work. Some policies also include rehabilitation programs, cost-of-living adjustments, or partial-disability options for those who can return to work part-time.
How Long-Term Disability Benefits Work
When a medical condition prevents you from performing your job duties, LTD insurance provides income protection so you can focus on your health instead of your bills. To qualify, your condition must meet the policy’s definition of “disability” and last through the required elimination period.
Definitions of Disability
Each insurer defines disability differently, so it’s essential to read your plan carefully.
Own-occupation policies pay benefits if you cannot perform your current job.
Any-occupation policies require proof that you cannot perform any job suited to your education, training, or experience.
Your doctor’s medical records and professional opinion play a central role in proving disability. Detailed notes describing your symptoms, treatment plan, and physical or cognitive limitations help establish eligibility. Objective findings—such as MRI or X-ray results—provide additional evidence but rarely tell the whole story. A clear, comprehensive explanation from your physician about how your condition limits your ability to work is critical to success.
How to File a Long-Term Disability Claim
Understanding the process can help you avoid costly mistakes and delays. In most cases, filing a long-term disability claim involves several key steps:
Notify your insurance company in writing that you intend to file a long-term disability claim.
Submit detailed medical documentation supporting your diagnosis, treatment plan, and how your condition limits your ability to perform your job duties.
Complete all required claim forms thoroughly and accurately—errors or missing information can trigger automatic delays or denials.
Cooperate with any medical evaluations or follow-up requests from the insurer to verify your ongoing disability status.
Because insurance carriers closely scrutinize each application, even small inconsistencies can result in a denial. Working with an experienced long-term disability attorney ensures your claim is organized, complete, and supported by the medical evidence insurers require. At Gallon, Takacs & Boissoneault, we help clients prepare their claims correctly from the start, reducing the risk of delays and improving the likelihood of approval.
How Much Will You Receive in Long-Term Disability Benefits?
The amount you receive in long-term disability benefits depends on your income before the disability and the coverage outlined in your policy. Most plans replace 50% to 70% of your pre-disability earnings, up to a monthly cap that often ranges between $6,000 and $8,000. These monthly long-term disability payments are designed to help you cover essential living expenses—such as housing, utilities, and groceries—while you’re unable to work.
If your medical condition allows you to work part-time or in a limited capacity, some policies also provide partial-disability benefits. These payments are typically calculated as a percentage of your lost income. For example, if you previously earned $4,000 per month and now make $1,000 due to your condition, your long-term disability benefit could equal 60 percent of the $3,000 difference.
In most cases, your long-term disability benefits will continue for as long as you meet the policy’s definition of disability and remain under active medical care. Depending on the terms of your plan, benefits may last for a fixed number of years—often five or ten—or until you reach your retirement age.
Because every policy defines eligibility and duration differently, it’s important to have a disability attorney review your coverage to help you understand your rights, benefit limits, and options for appeal if payments are reduced or terminated.
Coordinating Long-Term Disability and Social Security Disability
If your medical condition is expected to last at least 12 months, you may also qualify for Social Security Disability (SSD) in addition to your long-term disability benefits. Most long-term disability insurers require applicants to file for SSD because federal benefits can offset part of what the insurer pays each month.
Although both programs provide support when you can’t work, they follow different rules. SSD is a federal benefit based on your work history and medical eligibility, while long-term disability comes from a private or employer-sponsored policy. Once SSD is approved, your LTD insurer will likely reduce your monthly payment—or recover back pay—for overlapping benefits.
Many people wonder, “Can my disability insurance take my SSDI benefits?” The answer depends on how your policy handles offsets and reimbursements. To learn more about this process, read our blog Can Disability Insurance Take My SSDI Benefits?
Because the coordination process can be confusing, it helps to have an experienced disability lawyer on your side. At Gallon, Takacs & Boissoneault, we help clients manage both claims, ensure accurate reporting, and protect their eligibility under each program—so they can focus on their health and financial recovery.
Exclusions, Limitations, and Common Challenges
Every long-term disability policy includes specific exclusions and limitations that can affect whether you qualify for benefits or how long payments continue. Understanding these restrictions before filing can prevent delays or denials later in the process.
Most LTD plans exclude pre-existing conditions that were not disclosed before coverage began, as well as disabilities related to substance abuse. Many also limit benefits for mental health conditions, such as depression or anxiety, to a maximum of 12 or 24 months. Other policies place caps on certain physical conditions, including chronic back pain, fibromyalgia, or repetitive-stress injuries.
Even after approval, insurers often require regular updates to confirm that you remain disabled under their policy definition. Missing a deadline, failing to provide updated medical reports, or submitting incomplete documentation can lead to benefit suspension or termination.
An experienced long-term disability attorney can help you stay compliant with your policy requirements, manage communications with the insurance company, and ensure your medical documentation remains strong throughout the life of your claim. At Gallon, Takacs & Boissoneault, we monitor every deadline and protect your eligibility so your benefits continue without interruption.
Choosing the Right Long-Term Disability Coverage
Selecting the right long-term disability coverage is one of the most important financial decisions you can make. Every LTD policy is different, so it’s essential to understand what your plan includes—and what it doesn’t—before you need it. When reviewing or purchasing a policy, pay close attention to key factors, including the definition of disability, benefit duration, elimination period, and tax implications.
Some plans define disability as being unable to perform your current job (“own occupation”), while others require that you be unable to perform any job (“any occupation”). The elimination period—typically 90 to 180 days—is how long you must be disabled before benefits begin. The benefit duration determines how long payments last, which can range from a few years to retirement age.
Tax treatment also varies. Policies paid with after-tax dollars generally provide tax-free benefits, while employer-paid plans are usually taxable. Understanding these distinctions helps you plan realistically for your future income and avoid unexpected financial strain if you ever need to rely on disability benefits.
Because LTD contracts are complex and filled with fine print, consulting a disability attorney or financial professional before you enroll—or before you file a claim—can help you avoid costly mistakes later. At Gallon, Takacs & Boissoneault, we review coverage terms, explain how long-term disability benefits interact with Social Security Disability, and help clients make informed choices that protect their financial security.
Why Legal Help Matters
Nearly one in four workers will experience a disabling condition before retirement. Yet many people struggle to receive the LTD or SSD benefits they’ve earned. Denials, delays, and underpayments are common—often because insurers question the severity of symptoms or because medical evidence is incomplete.
The disability lawyers at Gallon, Takacs & Boissoneault know how to navigate these challenges. We help clients compile thorough medical documentation, communicate with insurance carriers, and file or appeal claims through the appropriate administrative and legal channels. Our attorneys also coordinate LTD benefits with Social Security Disability to ensure you receive the maximum financial support available.
Our goal is simple: to protect your rights, reduce your stress, and help you move forward with stability and confidence.
Contact Gallon, Takacs & Boissoneault
A long-term disability can change your life in an instant—but you don’t have to face it alone. At Gallon, Takacs & Boissoneault, our experienced disability lawyers have helped injured and disabled individuals for more than 70 years, guiding clients through Long-Term Disability (LTD) and Social Security Disability (SSD) claims with compassion and proven results.
Whether you’re filing a long-term disability claim or appealing a denial, our attorneys understand the challenges of dealing with insurance companies and government programs. We represent clients throughout Northwest Ohio, Southeast Michigan, and Northeast Indiana, helping them protect their income and secure the benefits they deserve.
Contact us today for a free consultation at 419-843-6663 or contact us online for a free consultation. Our team is ready to help you protect your rights, your financial stability, and your peace of mind through experienced long-term disability representation.
Ted Bowman is a Senior Associate and practices in the Workers’ Compensation and Social Security Disability sections. Ted began his career with GT&B in 1988. His reputation and success record as a trial lawyer arguing before the Industrial Commission on behalf of injured workers, as well as in trial courts and the Supreme Court of Ohio, are well known.
