Disability Denial Letter

The following is the letter I wrote to Mutual of Omaha as a appeal against their decision to deny me Long Term Disability benefits.
Please use or comment on it anyway you see fit.


Vincent Colucci

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Ormond Beach, FL 32174



October 21, 2011



xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Group Insurance Claims Management

United of Omaha life Insurance Company

Mutual of Omaha Plaza

Omaha, NE 68175



Appeal against denial of Long Term Disability benefits



Dear Xxxxxxx


My name is Vince Colucci, and I am writing this letter to respond to the denial letter of disability benefits that I received on July 13th 2011. My Social Security number is xxx-xxx-xxxx and long-term disability policy number is .xxxx-XXXX.


I am no longer represented by council as they have told me it would be irresponsible for them to handle my case seeing as my payment from your Company would be so small that their cost and fees would be such that after reductions due to SSI payments there would be very little left.



Please allow me to refresh your memory as to my case. On February 4th of this year I reported to work and soon after clocking in began to hear the sound of a nonexistent music box, I blacked out and lost control of my arms and posture. When I came to I felt an incredibly painful tingling as though I had been struck on the funny bone over my entire body. When I was able to come to fully and be aware of my surroundings I had thrown my phone and papers I had been holding across the room. I was incredibly frightened and went to the emergency room. There I was told it was a syncopal event and we all have them from time to time.

Upon returning to work on the 7th I worked my normal day and felt tired but relatively normal, I had a lot to catch up with purging claims files 180+ bankers boxes and fulfilling my duties as to retrieving radiology charts for the facilities on my way back from our Daytona Beach facility to our Holly Hill facility I felt strange and a strong need to cough worried I pulled over to a turn lane and put my work van in park. At that time I coughed lightly a few times and began to tingle all over, then blacked out. When I came to I felt my right hand uncontrollably slapping at the passenger seat and very weak and disoriented. I called for some reason the Member Services Dept. of FHCP and told them what was going on also that I thought I could drive the quarter mile back in. Before I could get very far I approached a red light at which I blacked out again coming to very tingly and with a dull muscle pain all over my body.

Stupidly I continued driving and returned to the facility a very lucky man. I then called my supervisor and asked her to contact my wife and have her meet me in the parking lot to take me to the ER. I was admitted to the hospital several tests were run and I was released.

Since this time both my Primary Care Physician Dr. Wesley Driggers and my Neurologist Dr. Mary June Derbenwick have stated that I can no longer drive, or return to work and that I should observe seizure precautions.



It has now been over eight months since I have been allowed to work at a job that I loved and was good at. I am no longer able to do the things I once enjoyed, walking my dogs, bike rides, cooking meals, or even taking walks by myself. I am now under increased care of Psych doctors as the depression and anxiety of no longer being a competent and confident adult has become too much for me to bear.

I continue to have as many as 4-6 syncopal events a day and in the interim feel weak and bone tired as though my entire body has been overused and abused. I spend much of my time in a neurological fog and feel lost and confused. I can no longer take an active roll in raising my two sons and feel as though I have in a way abandoned them physically.

The mounting stresses of the great financial loss my lack of salary has placed on our family have caused great problems in my marriage and we are very close to foreclosure on our home and having trouble meeting general obligations.



The Doctors still have no answers for me and my condition is worsening starting to effect my digestive system due to peripheral neuropathy and making me less capable of living a normal life much less working. I have requested and been granted a referral to the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville FL at the end of October and hope in vain for some answers then.



I beg of you to please reconsider my claim as the loss of income has disrupted my life and that of my family and may cause us to lose our home. My disability has become increasingly taxing both physically and mentally and I hope you can understand the situation I am facing as well as the situation of my family. The Long Term Disability Plan that I had held for many years can come to my families rescue in this our time of need.



I once again appeal to you to consider my request on any grounds you deem appropriate and please let me know if you need any further documentation from me or my many physicians.



Thank you for your time I am looking forward to a favorable response and working with you in the future to satisfy whatever questions or documentation you may require.



Yours Truly,





Vincent Colucci



Transcribed by Diana Colucci