Mississippi Disability Insurance 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 Mississippi, including the Jackson and Gulfport 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 Mississippi. If you would like to learn more about the disability claim process or insurance bad faith in other states, please visit our homepage.

Does Mississippi Recognize Insurance Bad Faith?

Mississippi recognizes bad faith, but has set a high bar for punitive damages. As explained by the Mississippi Supreme Court, “[t]he plaintiff has a ‘heavy burden’ when seeking punitive damages based on a bad faith insurance claim.” Jenkins v. Ohio Cas. Ins. Co., 794 So. 2d 228, 232-33 (Miss. 2001) (internal citations omitted).

More specifically, the Mississippi Supreme Court has established a “two-step” analysis for assessing punitive damages, and held that “[t]he issue of punitive damages should not be submitted to the jury unless the trial court determines that there are jury issues with regard to whether: (1) The insurer lacked an arguable or legitimate basis for denying the claim, and (2) The insurer committed a willful or malicious wrong, or acted with gross and reckless disregard for the insured’s rights.” 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 Mississippi Disability Insurance Cases

Hand v. UNUM Provident Corp., 202 F. App’x 689 (5th Cir. 2006) (Mississippi orthopedic surgeon filed a disability claim with Unum due to arthritis that prevented him from performing surgery; Unum asserted he was not disabled from his “own occupation” because he could still work as an orthopedic doctor; the court held that he was disabled from his “own occupation” because he was performing surgeries when he became disabled and “occupation” was defined as what he was regularly engaged in at the time he became totally disabled).

North American Acc. Ins. Co. v. Henderson, 170 So. 528 (Miss. 1937) (Court found that Plaintiff suffering from inguinal hernia was financially unable to undergo curative operation and his failure to do so did not preclude recovery of total disability benefits).

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?

Mississippi 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 Mississippi, but there may be satellite courthouses that are closer to where you live.

Greenville. 305 Main Street, Greenville, MS 38701.

Jackson. Thad Cochran U.S. Courthouse, 501 E. Court Street, Suite 2.500, Jackson, MS 39201

Gulfport. Dan M. Russell, Jr., U.S. Courthouse, 2012 15th Street, Suite 403, Gulfport, MS 39501.

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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