Maria emigrated from Europe to the US in her thirties. She was a pharmacist in the native country. When she resettled in the US, she attended a US pharmacy school so she could work in the field she had previously studied and found the work, rewarding both emotionally and financially. She enjoyed the fast pace of the occupation, and that she knew she was assisting people in need.
Maria was a pharmacist at a national drug store chain when she became disabled due to an accident that permanently impacted her mobility and ability to stand for more than a few minutes at a time. She had been predisposed to weakness in her foot and ankle due to an arthritic condition.
Degenerative joint disease, also known as osteoarthritis, is a type of arthritis caused by inflammation, breakdown and eventual loss of the cartilage of the joints. Among the over 100 different types of arthritis conditions, osteoarthritis is the most common, affecting usually the hands, feet, ankle, spine, and large weight-bearing joints, such as the hips and knees.
- Osteoarthritis is a joint inflammation that results from cartilage degeneration.
- Osteoarthritis can be caused by aging, heredity, and injury from trauma or disease.
- The most common symptom of osteoarthritis is pain in the affected joint(s) after repetitive use. Other osteoarthritis symptoms and signs include
- swollen joints,
- joint stiffness,
- joint creaking, and
- loss of range of motion
Her family depended on her income; since she could no longer perform the duties of her job, Maria filed for and was awarded SSDI and long-term-disability benefits.
Sedgwick, notorious for less than fair treatment, is the third-party administrator. True to its reputation, Sedwick terminated her benefits for invalid reasons creating a hardship for Maria and her family. Sedgwick left messages without the name of the caller, reason for the call and without complete call back information, and then said it terminated benefits because a claims person’s call was not returned promptly.
Maria finally had enough and retained Jonathan Feigenbaum to represent her. Jonathan helped Maria win her appeal and she was awarded all her back benefits.
Jonathan continues to monitor and protect Maria and the benefits she earned and deserves. He takes preemptive measures to deter Sedgwick’s aggressive benefits termination policy. Planning one-year advance of her anniversary Jonathan prepares and files a thorough report documenting that Maria continues to be disabled, and includes comprehensive current medical records and a yearly statement from her physician.
