Case Study: Factual Disability v. Legal Disability – Part 3
In the last post, we discussed the facts of the court case Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company v. Jefferson[1]. In that case, the court was asked to determine whether a clinical psychologist whose license had been suspended was entitled to disability benefits. In this post, we will discuss how the court ultimately ruled, and go over some takeaways from this case.
The Court’s Ruling
As explained in the last post, the key question was whether Dr. Jefferson’s legal disability (i.e. the suspension of his license to practice psychology) happened before the onset of Dr. Jefferson’s factual disability (i.e. his depression). In the end, the court determined that Dr. Jefferson was not entitled to disability benefits for the following reasons:
- Dr. Jefferson’s claim form stated that he was not disabled until April 29, 1990, which was two days after the licensing board revoked his license.
- Although Dr. Jefferson later claimed that his depression went as far back as May 1989, the court determined that such claims were inconsistent with:
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- Jefferson’s representations to the licensing board that he was a “highly qualified and competent psychologist”;
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- The fact that Dr. Jefferson had been consistently seeing patients up until the day his license was revoked; and
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- The fact that Dr. Jefferson had scheduled patients during the month following the licensing board’s hearing.
Thus, under the circumstances, the evidence showed that Dr. Jefferson’s was not entitled to benefits because his legal disability preceded his factual disability.
Takeaways
Dr. Jefferson’s case provides a good example of the challenges that can arise in a disability claim if the claimant has lost his or her license. Here are some of the major takeaways from this case:
Be Precise When Filling Out Claim Forms. The date you list as the starting date of your disability can be very significant. Take your time when filling out claim forms, and make sure that the date you provide is accurate and consistent with the other information you are submitting with your claim forms. It is always a good idea to double check everything on the form at least once after you have completed it, to make sure that you did not make a mistake.
Recognize that Your Claim Will Not Be Evaluated in a Vacuum. Other proceedings—such as board hearings—can directly impact your disability claim. You should always assume that anything you say in such a proceeding will at some point end up in front of the insurance company. This is particularly problematic when, as in Dr. Jefferson’s case, the goals of the other proceeding are inconstant with the goals of the disability claim. In such a situation, you may have to decide which goal is more important to you. An experienced disability insurance attorney can help you assess the strengths and weaknesses of each available option so that you can make an informed decision.
Do NOT Engage in Activities that Place Your License in Jeopardy. Losing a license that you worked hard for several years to obtain is not only emotionally devastating, it can severely limit your options going forward. Even if you have a disability policy, it is very difficult to successfully collect on a disability claim if your license has been revoked or suspended. Once again, if you find yourself in Dr. Jefferson’s position, you should talk with an experienced attorney who can help you determine what your available options are, if any.
[1] 104 S.W.3d 13, 18 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2002).
