WE GET QUESTIONS
O U R C O M M U N I C A T I O N P O L I C Y E X P L A I N E D
Another lawyer asked me recently about our firm's communication policy. He represents insurance companies and knows we are different from every other law firm he deals with, but he's just not sure why. So, like a lot of people who find us, he's curious about how we do things. And when he was told I wouldn't talk to him when he called, we had this conversation: Q: WHY DON'T YOU TAKE CALLS IMMEDIATELY AS THEY COME IN? A: Because we're hard at work on a case helping someone, and we don't want distractions or interruptions. You see, what we do for the people we help is really important — to them and to us . Yes, this means if you're someone we're privileged to represent, you know that when you call or email, we may set a time to call you back.
This is so we can give you the full update on your case or issue or get an answer for your question without interruptions or distractions. You don't get put on hold, there are no texts or other emails being read or people running in and out — it's all about you. That's the best way to give you updates, give you advice, and, most importantly, listen to you . That would be the worst — having a law firm that was "multitasking" and not listening to you. We decided long ago we're not settling for that. Yes, it's different than other law firms. So what? The people we help — the people who really matter — love it. And I don't care about what other lawyers think.
PART II OF III:
HOW TO LOSE YOUR LONG-TERM DISABILITY APPEAL
After such a bad fall, Mark needed surgery for the fractured wrist and, later, the broken leg. While still recovering, he made the decision to not let this keep him from returning to his normal life. He would do whatever it took until he was back to his old self. He followed his doctor’s orders and did what he needed for his body to heal. But his doctors, therapists, and his own body let him know he wasn’t going to be 100%. More than the worry and stress of his recovery, Mark was worried about how he would provide for his family. He’d always been a hard worker, but his job was a physical one. How was he going to get back to work? He had a crew, but so much of what he did involved leading by example and picking up whatever slack his crew wasn’t getting done. If he tried going back to work, then there was a good chance he’d hurt himself or someone else. His company had long-term disability insurance coverage, and his human resources representative told him he should apply because he just had to fill out a simple form, his injuries would qualify, and he’d get paid while he couldn’t work. Although he hated to admit it, Mark decided he’d probably need to submit a long-term disability claim. He wanted to work, but he just couldn’t. Because he’d dealt with different insurance companies in the past as a contractor, he figured he’d be good to go after filling out some paperwork.
Mark had a legit injury and a long work history — he wasn’t faking, and he didn’t have anything to hide. Unfortunately for Mark, he’d never read his disability insurance policy (and neither had his HR rep), but he had lots of family and friends to give him advice on what to do. So, he filled out the forms and sent them in. And he waited. STAY TUNED FOR PART III: The Conclusion to Mark’s Story. Mark is a fictional character based on real-life scenarios that we use to illustrate and teach how to handle (or not handle) long-term disability issues.
4 • DONAHOEKEARNEY.COM
Published by The Newsletter Pro • www.TheNewsletterPro.com
Made with FlippingBook - Online Brochure Maker