Philadelphia Heart Attack Attorney for Disability Insurance Claims

A heart attack is a terrifying and debilitating event. Amid the uncertainty of recovery, you should not have to agonize about financial support while you are unable to work during your recovery or possibly longer. Disability insurance is one way to guard against this risk, but obtaining disability benefits can be difficult, especially if you are disabled from a heart attack. Medical professionals who have suffered from a heart attack should retain a Philadelphia heart attack attorney at Seltzer & Associates to handle your claim for disability insurance benefits. 

Not Being Able to Perform the Important Duties of Your Medical Practice as a Result of a Heart Attack

Recovery from a heart attack can be extensive. Working during the recovery period from a heart attack may not be an option. Your disability insurance benefits will be important in maintaining your financial support during this time. An experienced Philadelphia heart attack attorney can help you obtain the disability insurance benefits you are entitled to so you can focus on maximum recovery.

In addition to recovering from the initial heart attack and medical intervention, recovery may occur in the hospital or in another treatment facility. Even if your heart attack did not leave you with the need for extensive, continuing therapies, part of the recovery process might require you to stay out of work. Even after you have reached maximum medical improvement, you may not be able to perform your duties as you did before and return to your specialty. 

A vocational expert evaluation may be ordered as part of your insurance company’s claim analysis. You do not need to go through this process alone, and you should have an advocate on your side. You should have an experienced Philadelphia long-term disability claim attorney represent you throughout this process so your assessment of total or residual disability is properly explained and evaluated.

Misconceptions About Cardiovascular Disease and Disability Insurance Benefits Explained By A Philadelphia Heart Attack Attorney

Unfortunately, there is much misinformation circulating about cardiovascular disease, heart attack, and stroke, and how these conditions may be evaluated in a disability insurance claim. An experienced Philadelphia disability insurance attorney can evaluate and explain your unique situation to you and present your claim to the insurance company as you pursue disability insurance benefits. 

Rather than letting misinformation guide your decisions, talk to a Philadelphia disability insurance lawyer about your claim. There is little motivation for insurance companies to pay claims. You can rely on Seltzer & Associates to ensure your disability claim is prepared thoroughly and appropriately before your claim is decided.

Since cardiovascular disease, heart attack, stroke, and other related conditions are so serious, many people do not think they need to demonstrate the severity of their particular limitations of the insurance company. Experiencing a heart attack or stroke and receiving appropriate medical care may not suffice. You will need to demonstrate how your cardiovascular disease limits your ability to work and perform routine, daily activities. 

Though professionals have a natural inclination to mask the difficulties or vulnerabilities they face, the time to do this is not during the disability insurance process. A full and complete picture of your medical treatment and limitations is essential to accurately assess your claim.

Other Disabling Cardiovascular Conditions 

Heart attack and stroke often receive the bulk of attention when it comes to discussing cardiovascular disease. However, these are not the only potentially disabling conditions.

Congestive heart failure includes severe symptoms of dizziness, weakness, shortness of breath, and damage to other organs as a result of the heart’s inability to properly pump blood through the body. Heart arrhythmia, or irregular heartbeat, while not found to be a disability on its own, often contributes to disability due to poor cardiovascular health. When these symptoms rise to a severe enough level, physicians may simply be unable to work and in some cases, perform daily activities without assistance. 

Coronary artery disease strains the cardiovascular system and weakens the body. Blockages of more than 50% of the coronary artery can quickly debilitate a person. Specifically, artery diseases can result in blockages in arteries due to plaque buildup or restricted blood flow due to constricted and hardening arterial walls. Surgery is often required to remove blockages and restore proper blood flow. Without medical intervention, the risk of heart attack or stroke increases significantly, which can result in even more devastating medical results for heart disease patients. Insurance companies must act in good faith and appropriately evaluate compensable disability insurance claims. An insurance company’s failure to approve a claim without adequate justification or in the presence of sufficient evidence can rise to the level of bad faith. If you believe your insurance company has acted in bad faith, you need a Philadelphia insurance bad faith attorney.

How Does A Heart Transplant Affect My Disability Insurance Claim?

When the heart experiences significant damage, a heart transplant may be necessary. Hopefully, the recipient will be able to survive and live a full life. The outcome of each heart transplant is as unique as the recipient. Recovery times and a return to daily activities after a heart transplant may take months or years. During recovery, you may find that you can benefit from long-term disability insurance benefits. Seltzer & Associates can work with your disability insurance carriers to secure the benefits you deserve.

Further Limitations After Suffering a Heart Attack

Surgery is often required to treat heart attacks and prevent new heart problems from arising in the future. Some common procedures include: 

• Angioplasty to open blocked arteries
• Surgery to replace a damaged heart valve
• Bypass surgery to create new passages for blood to flow to the heart
• Heart transplant surgery

After surgery, the patient will need to adhere to all prescribed recovery instructions, which may include required time out of work for rest and recuperation, rehabilitative therapy, and medication management. A schedule like this often keeps busy medical professionals away from their practice and prevents them from returning to full-time capacity. 

Medication management may be necessary to prevent additional heart attacks and heart disease. However, these medications may cause some patients to experience side effects. The side effects of medication vary in severity from person to person, and they may impact your ability to return to your medical practice.

Aspects of Treatment for Heart Attack Patients

Treatment plans for heart attack recovery may incorporate the following:

• Antiplatelet drug therapy medication can prevent future clotting and blood flow issues that may lead to a future heart attack.
• Exercise regimens are designed to improve cardiovascular health, including recovery and prevention of future heart attacks.
• Additional fitness programs to maintain muscle mass and encourage movement during recovery. You do not want muscles to atrophy during long recovery periods of rest. 
• Stress management includes group therapy programs focusing on stress reduction, individual counseling to identify personal stress triggers and mitigate the impact of those triggers, and ongoing support to encourage proper stress reduction and management. As a busy practitioner, stress management is important, not only for yourself but to successfully maintain your practice and continue caring for your patients.
• Continuing education on your cardiovascular health and preventative measures.

Even as you emerge from the most intensive recovery programs, it can be a significant amount of time until you can safely return to your practice in any capacity. The extended recovery time from a heart attack means the inability to engage in necessary business operations and perform patient care as required of medical professionals. At Seltzer & Associates, each Philadelphia heart attack attorney has nationwide experience with all major disability insurance companies and their disability insurance policies and will work to obtain your benefits.

Our Philadelphia Heart Attack Attorney Outlines Important Early Symptoms to Watch For

Symptoms of a heart attack vary from person to person. Common symptoms include tightness in the chest, difficulty breathing, feeling lightheaded, aches in the arms that spread to the torso or other body parts, nausea, indigestion, heartburn, or fatigue. With a busy medical practice, physicians and other medical professionals may ignore or disregard these symptoms or warning signs to the detriment of their health.

Preventing Future Heart Attacks

Heart attack sufferers are at a greater risk of having additional future heart attacks or other complications of heart disease. Taking preventative measures is important for any heart attack survivor. The American Heart Association advocates the following preventative measures: 

• Taking prescribed medications
• Maintaining follow-up care with your treating healthcare providers, not just your heart attack doctors. Your medical team can monitor your recovery from your prior heart attack as well as monitor your health and observe risk factors for additional heart attacks. With their support, you can continue on the right path of recovery.
• Following rehabilitation plans, including exercise, diet, and medical support.
• Taking steps to reduce risk factors. Once you identify your risk factors for a future heart attack, you can take steps to reduce those risk factors, whether it be through medication, diet, exercise, stress management, or other methods.
• Finding support for your recovery, which will provide accountability for lifestyle changes and encourage continuing health improvement. 

How a Philadelphia Heart Attack Attorney Can Help

The importance of support after a heart attack cannot be overemphasized. Whether it involves support from your doctor, your friends, and family, or survivor groups, support is an important piece of your recovery. Another important component of your pursuit of a full recovery is your disability attorney. At Seltzer & Associates, we take our clients’ disabilities seriously and fight vigorously to obtain their disability insurance benefits. 

Do not let yourself be burdened by financial distress during your recovery from a heart attack. Medical professionals who have experienced a heart attack preventing them from working should contact Seltzer & Associates to discuss disability insurance benefits.