Connecticut Disability Claims

We are a healthcare/professional disability insurance law firm with a national reputation for obtaining successful results for our clients. Our firm has represented physicians, dentists, lawyers, executives and other professionals throughout the country, with the goal of securing and protecting their entitlement to benefits on own-occupation disability insurance policies.

We consult with physicians, dentists, attorneys and business executives filing disability claims throughout Connecticut, including the Bridgeport, Stamford, and New Haven areas. If you’d like to discuss your particular claim with our attorneys, we are happy to set up a free consultation.

Below are some resources for policyholders filing disability insurance claims in Connecticut. If you would like to learn more about the disability claim process or insurance bad faith in other states, please visit our homepage.

Does Connecticut Recognize Insurance Bad Faith?

Connecticut recognizes bad faith but there are certain restrictions. As the Connecticut Supreme Court has noted, under Connecticut precedent, “a bad faith action must allege denial of the receipt of an express benefit under the policy.” See Capstone Bldg. Corp. v. Am. Motorists Ins. Co., 308 Conn. 760, 793–802, 67 A.3d 961, 986–91 (2013).

This is notable because it may not be enough to claim, for example, a “failure to investigate” if “the insurance policy at issue provides that the decision of whether and how to investigate lies exclusively with the insurer.” Id.

More generally, the Connecticut Supreme Court has instructed that “[b]ad faith in general implies both actual or constructive fraud, or a design to mislead or deceive another, or a neglect or refusal to fulfill some duty or some contractual obligation, not prompted by an honest mistake as to one’s rights or duties, but by some interested or sinister motive.” Id. In other words, “[b]ad faith means more than mere negligence; it involves a dishonest purpose.” Id.

The case excerpts above are not meant to be a comprehensive discussion of each state’s first-party bad faith or disability insurance law. They are merely meant to act as a resource/starting point for those interested in learning more about how insurance bad faith works in their state.

You should always speak with an attorney before making any legal arguments relating to your disability claim.

Notable Connecticut Disability Insurance Cases

Patricia Hughes v. Hartford Life and Accident Insurance Co., No. 3:17-cv-1561 (JAM) (D. Conn. March 25, 2019) (Connecticut Registered Nurse became disabled when diagnosed with Meniere’s disease; the court held that Hartford had not conducted a “full and fair review” and required Hartford to reconsider its denial because its IME doctor was not trained in vestibular disorders and notably did not perform any of the tests which had been historically abnormal for plaintiff).

Paul Revere Life Ins. Co. v. DiBari, No. 3:08CV1795 JBA (D. Conn. Nov. 19, 2010) (Connecticut dentist filed a disability claim with Paul Revere/Unum due to carpal tunnel syndrome; the dentist did not want to have surgery but Paul Revere insisted that the surgery was required under the policy which required the dentist to be under the “regular and personal care” of a physician and receiving treatment “appropriate for the condition causing the disability”; the court determined that Paul Revere properly denied the claim because carpal tunnel release surgery is a surgery that is “generally successful and medically appropriate” and “all recommended non-surgical treatments ha[d] failed”).

Common Disability Claim Questions

What should I expect when filing a disability claim?

What issues am I most likely to face handling my disability insurance claim alone?

Why are disability insurance claims made by physicians, dentists and other professionals especially targeted for denial or termination?

My disability claim was just denied. What should I do now?

What can my insurance company do when it is investigating my claim?

Do insurance companies conduct surveillance and, if so, when are they watching?

Why does my insurer want to conduct a field interview?

How can I tell if I have a true own-occupation policy?

What are the different types of disability policies?

Connecticut Federal District Court Locations

Professional disability claims are often filed in, or removed to, Federal Court given the amounts in controversy. When we work with local counsel to be admitted pro hac vice, we identify the courthouse that is closest to you. Below is a list of the primary Federal Courthouses in Connecticut, but there may be satellite courthouses that are closer to where you live.

New Haven. Richard C. Lee United States Courthouse, 141 Church Street, New Haven, CT 06510.

Hartford. Abraham A. Ribicoff Federal Building, 450 Main Street, Suite A012, Hartford, CT 06103.

Bridgeport. Brien McMahon Federal Building, 915 Lafayette Boulevard, Bridgeport, CT 06604.

Who Do Your Disability Insurance Attorneys Represent?

The lists below provide a representative overview of the types of professionals we represent, the disability companies we file claims with and litigate against, and a non-exhaustive list of some of the disabling conditions our prior clients have had.

Professionals

Physician Claims & Resources | Dentist Claims & Resources

Disability Insurance Companies

Disabling Conditions

The information provided above is offered purely for informational purposes. It is not intended to create or promote an attorney-client relationship, and does not constitute and should not be relied upon as legal advice.

Every claim is unique and the discussion above is only a limited summary of information that may be relevant to your claim. An experienced disability insurance attorney can help you assess your particular disability claim, or potential disability claim, and determine what options are available to you.

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