We’ve got an interesting story to share about a court case involving a coal miner from Southwest Virginia. This case is really important for people dealing with long-term disability claims, and it was handled by the long-term disability team at Ben Glass Law in the Third Circuit Court of Appeals.
What Happened to this Coal Miner from Southwest Virginia?
This case is about a coal miner who had a tough time getting his disability claim accepted. The miner’s former employer forced him to file his lawsuit in Pennsylvania, far from his home. We were able to handle his case along with counsel from Pennsylvania.
What the parties were arguing about.
Long-term disability attorney Ben Glass argued this case in the Third Circuit Court of Appeals. The coal miner had been out on disability for several years before his employer’s long-term disability plan found that he had “recovered” enough to go back to work, even though everyone agreed that he could no longer do the duties of a coal miner.
Job Evaluations and History: A big part of the case was about understanding the miner’s job and history. It’s important to get these details right to decide if someone should get disability benefits.
Job Title Mistakes: There was also a discussion about how mistakes in identifying a person’s job can cause problems. These mistakes can make it hard to figure out if someone can work or not. Again, everyone agreed that the defendants had used the wrong job description when it decided the miner could go back to work.
Medical Reports and Reviews: Another important topic was the medical evidence. The court looked at how doctors’ reports and reviews play a big role in deciding disability claims. None of the doctors the employer’s plan used to terminate the claim ever examined the claimant.
Social Media in Court: An interesting part of the case was about using social media posts as evidence. The court talked about whether it’s fair to use what people post online to decide on their disability claims, especially when the social media “evidence” the company relied on was very non-specific, vague, and didn’t even show the claimant engaged in any activities.
Improper Social Security Offsets: there is a discussion in this case about how the employer improperly reduced the disability payments it did pay (before terminating them) and how it likely was doing that to all of its disabled miners.
Why This Case is Important for You
If you’re dealing with a disability claim, this case can teach you a lot. It shows how complicated these claims can be and why it’s important to have all the right information and evidence.
In the beginning, the claimant had a local lawyer who had helped him with his social security claim, but this lawyer was not an experienced ERISA long-term disability claim lawyer.
Need Help with Your Disability Claim?
If you’re struggling with a disability claim and need some help, our team at Ben Glass Law is here for you.
You can listen to the oral arguments and “see” Ben Glass at work here.