A common question from many Long-Term and Short-Term Disability clients is whether they can travel while on disability. Disability benefits are provided to compensate you for the inability to work, which does not preclude you from enjoying your life within your limitations. This means that you can take a vacation, though certain steps and precautions should be taken before booking.
The first step should be to review your disability policy, as it may outline certain conditions about traveling. Some policies may require you to notify your insurer if you are leaving the country over a certain amount of days, while others may require notification for any travel outside the country. If you are unsure about the terms and conditions of the policy, you can contact your case manager for clarification.
Prior to booking your vacation, it is important to receive medical clearance for travel from your doctor, as disability insurance companies may construe taking a vacation as being contrary to having an inability to work. Your doctor will need to indicate that traveling for vacation will not impede on your treatment plan, while it is within your physical or psychological limitations. You may want to keep a journal of your daily physical limitations and pain level on vacation, as this type of documentation can be used to show how certain activities were hampered by your disability. For example, you can talk about activities that you had difficulties with, as well as how your limitations affected friends and family.
Precautionary measures should be taken while you are on vacation, primarily in avoiding activities you should not be doing. Insurance companies will often use surveillance to try and discredit your disability claim, especially if they find evidence of you engaging in activities beyond your limitations. Be cautious of what you post on social media after your vacation, as insurance companies will most likely look at them.
At Kotak Law we are experienced disability lawyers and have successfully sued many insurance companies for unpaid short-term disability benefits and long-term disability benefits. Call us for a free consultation.
KOTAK PERSONAL INJURY LAW/DISABILITY LAWYERS CAN HELP YOU
We understand that being denied short-term disability benefits or long-term disability benefits can be frustrating and devastating. Your time to fight your disability insurance company is limited. Please do not delay in calling a disability claim lawyer at Kotak Law. We have successfully sued numerous disability insurance companies including Manulife, Sunlife, Desjardins, Great West Life, Canada Life, London Life, Blue Cross, AIG, SSQ, RBC, Industrial Alliance and more.
Call your trusted long term disability lawyers at 1-888-GOKOTAK (Toll Free for all of Canada), or (416) 816-1500 (Local Number for Ontario Residents), (403) 319-0071, (587) 414-1010 (Local Numbers for Alberta Residents). Our consultation is free and we don’t get paid until you do. We can meet you at our offices, a coffee shop, your home or a local court house. We can meet electronically though Skype, Zoom or WebEX. We represent disabled people throughout Ontario and Alberta, including Toronto, Mississauga, Brampton, Milton, Georgetown, Orangeville, Oakville, Burlington, Hamilton, St.Catharines, Niagara Falls, Stoney Creek, Kitchener/Waterloo, Cambridge, London, Windsor, Markham, Pickering, Oshawa, Peterborough, Keswick, Kingston, Ottawa, Banff, Brooks, Calgary, Edmonton, Fort McMurray, Grande Prairie, Jasper, Lake Louise, Lethbridge, Medicine Hat, Red Deer, Saint Albert and other locations.
Disclaimer: This article is intended to supply general information to the public. We make every effort to ensure the accuracy of this information. However, as laws change quickly, the reader should always ensure the accuracy and applicability of such information with respect to their particular case. The information contained in this article cannot replace a thorough and complete review of the reader’s situation by competent legal counsel who has had an opportunity to review all of the facts.
