Dabdoub Law Firm Recovers Disability Benefits for Renowned Liver Transplant Surgeon in U.S. District Court

Federal Court holds Ameritas Life Insurance Corporation accountable for a breach of contract and confirms that liver transplant surgery is a professionally recognized medical specialty.

CHICAGO, May 27, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- In Millis v. Ameritas, Dabdoub Law Firm's managing partner, Edward Dabdoub, and partner, Nina Burgos, litigated a case in The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and upheld its client's right to disability benefits.

This is a big win for physicians covered under specialty own-occupation disability insurance policies. The case highlights a problem with disability insurance—namely, that insurance carriers target physicians (and surgeons) to sell very expensive disability insurance policies with the understanding that they would qualify for total disability in the event disability caused them not to perform the core duties of that specific medical specialty, but then deny disability claims by arguing the physician continues to perform other work duties.

The claimant in this case worked as a liver transplant surgeon before a wrist injury left him disabled from his occupation. Because the claimant could no longer perform liver transplant surgery, he filed for total disability benefits from Ameritas. Instead of recognizing the claimant's medical specialty as defined in its policy, Ameritas claimed that Dabdoub Law Firm's client had a "composite job" that consisted of liver transplant surgery, hepatobiliary surgery, and a professor appointment at the teaching hospital where he was employed. Because the client could still perform hepatobiliary surgery and teach, Ameritas argued that he was not disabled from his primary occupation.

According to the opinion from the U.S. District Court, liver transplant surgery is a professionally recognized medical specialty, not a composite job. Liver transplant surgeons spend many of their working hours performing hepatobiliary surgery and other, more general surgeries because liver transplants do not fill all their time.

Thus, Dabdoub Law Firm's client was entitled to total disability benefits from Ameritas. The legal precedent in Millis v. Ameritas will apply to other physicians and surgeons in similar situations.

About Dabdoub Law Firm

Edward Dabdoub is a nationally recognized disability insurance attorney who built Dabdoub Law Firm for the sole purpose of representing disabled people against their disability insurance carrier. The firm has successfully represented physicians against major disability insurance companies get paid disability benefits. 

This federal court win is another in a line of cases won by Dabdoub Law Firm involving complex legal issues and facts pertaining to disability insurance claims.

To learn more about Dabdoub Law Firm, please visit longtermdisability.net. You can also schedule a free consultation by calling (800) 969-0488 or submitting your information via the following link:

https://www.longtermdisability.net/contact-us/

Media contact: 
Bryn Natland
bryn@longtermdisability.net
305.754.2000

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