Anita Barajas, an Arizona Office Medical Specialist 2 for UPI, is suing Cigna for disability insurance benefits after she developed a host of symptoms including “fibromyalgia, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (“CFS”), Sjorgen’s syndrome and depression with memory loss.” These conditions have since prevented her from being able to perform her duties as an office medical specialist.
Anita was once a fully-qualified employee under UPI’s Cigna Disability Insurance policy. But when she applied for disability insurance benefits in December 2008, she was denied by Cigna. Part of the reason that Cigna claimed she was denied was because she had no records of any of the psychological testing that is needed for a policyholder to be able to prove their claims. All Anita had was an MMPI that was administered by a rehabilitation professor.
What Anita did have was a detailed neuro-psychological evaluation that was conducted by a certified physician in September 2009. The report that resulted from this report stated that Anita has “cognitive difficulties, which prevent her from performing her duties as a medical specialist.”
Once Anita had this report in her hands, she used it to help appeal Cigna’s denial of her disability benefits claim in October 2009, but she was denied again in March 2010. In the letter that Cigna gave to Anita, they said that they were going to rely on the opinion of a Dallas rheumatologist who checked out Anita’s record — even though the rheumatologist didn’t see the copy of the October 2009 report that included her neurological evaluation.
Upon the appeal of the doctor’s opinion, Anita asked to send the evaluation to the rheumatologist, but the doctor claimed that “as a rheumatologist he was unable to comment on neuropsychological testing and any potential impairments suggested by such. The commentary would best be provided by a mental health practitioner familiar with the detailed interpretation of (the) testing.”
Cases like Anita’s happen all the time. If you have been denied disability insurance benefits by Cigna or if your benefits have been abruptly terminated, contact disability insurance attorney Greg Jones today for a free consultation. I am experienced at fighting disability insurance lawsuits and may be able to help you get the benefits you are entitled to.