Law Office of Justin C. Frankel, P.C. Secures Long Term Disability Benefits for a Dedicated Physician

The Law Office of Justin C. Frankel, P.C. is proud to share a meaningful victory on behalf of a devoted physician whose long‑term disability claim was wrongfully denied by New York Life. After years of providing compassionate, high‑stakes medical care, our client developed severe mental health conditions, and significant cognitive decline, all of which made it impossible to continue practicing medicine safely or consistently.

Despite extensive medical documentation, objective evidence of impairment, and continuous support from her treating psychiatrist, New York Life denied her claim. New York Life relied heavily on selective, paper‑only reviews conducted by in‑house staff and external consultants who never examined the claimant. New York Life ignored critical evidence demonstrating substantial impairments directly precluding her ability to perform her occupation as a physician.

Attorney Frankel launched a comprehensive and meticulously documented appeal which highlighted New York Life’s procedural errors, its failure to acknowledge objective and subjective evidence, and its disregard for our client’s psychiatrist’s unambiguous opinion that she was unable to perform the essential functions of her occupation. Our appeal emphasized that our clients symptoms, ranging from severe fatigue and cognitive slowing to overwhelming anxiety, sleep disturbance, and emotional instability, were well‑documented over time through consistent clinical notes and treatment records.

Our appeal also included the results of a Cognitive Functional Assessment (CFA) which revealed significant deficits in memory, executive functioning, processing speed, and cognitive flexibility, deficits entirely incompatible with the cognitive, emotional, and decision‑making demands of a physician.

Our appeal demonstrated that New York Life’s denial was arbitrary, capricious, and unsupported by the evidence. Attorney Frankel presented a detailed, legally grounded argument establishing that the New York Life violated its obligation to conduct a fair and thorough review under federal disability law. We showed that no evidence suggested any improvement in her condition, and that her impairments were persistent, significant, and incompatible with the responsibilities of medical practice.

As a result of our firm’s advocacy, New York Life overturned its denial and approved our client’s long‑term disability benefits—restoring the financial protection she rightfully earned through years of hard work and professional dedication.

This outcome not only provided our client with long‑awaited stability but also affirmed a fundamental principle: disabled professionals deserve fair, unbiased evaluation—not quick dismissals driven by incomplete reviews or internal cost‑saving measures.

At the Law Office of Justin C. Frankel, P.C., we remain committed to standing with claimants whose lives and livelihoods are impacted by disability insurers’ improper denials. If you or someone you know is struggling with a long‑term disability claim, our team is here to fight for you.