If you have a debilitating mental health issue, you must know whether you are eligible to make Total and Permanent Disability (TPD) claims.
Permanent Disability Work Cover Explained
Total and Permanent Disability (TPD) insurance is generally attached to your superannuation. TPD insurance covers any total and permanent disability, but it is much easier to prove physical injuries and disabilities. That being said, the success rate for mental health TPD claims is high when your claim meets the requirements for entitlement.
Whether you have severe anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder or chronic depression, a TPD claim for mental illness is generally covered by Total Permanent Disability in super. This is true whether you are employed privately or by the state, you are self-employed or have a TPD mental illness.
How TPD Claims Work
A TPD claim for a mental illness starts by ensuring you have TPD Insurance in super. If your policy doesn’t cover you, then you should take it out privately. If you have multiple supers, you should check all of them to see if you have active coverage for mental illness. It’s also important to find out whether you can claim TPD for a mental illness that prevents you from working in any occupation or if it covers only your particular field of expertise. You can also find out whether the insurance covers you for domestic assistance if you are not or may not be capable of running your household.
If you have a mental health injury covered by TPD, the process for your claim includes meeting a particular disability level. You will also need to satisfy the minimum wait times, as well as fulfilling work history requirements. If you are going through a mental health injury covered by TPD, then the process of lodging a TPD claim can be intimidating. It’s a daunting, complicated process, and that’s why a legal expert can help provide you with the support you need and the legal advice necessary to succeed in your filing.
Mental Health Illnesses & Injuries Covered By TPD
Before you can file a TPD claim for mental illness or injury, you need to receive a medical diagnosis from your doctor. Your mental health disorder has to interfere with your cognitive abilities, social life, or emotional power, to the point that you are permanently disabled, to be considered a valid TPD mental health issue. The conditions that are considered for TPD mental illness claims include:
· Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
PTSD includes anxiety, symptoms of depression, and panic attacks as a result of experiencing a traumatic event. While the majority of people think of military veterans as the people most likely to be diagnosed with PTSD, PTSD can be a result of a car accident, being the victim of a crime, child abuse, domestic abuse, or any other traumatic event.
· Severe Anxiety
Anxiety includes a fear of open spaces, breathing difficulties, a racing heart, sweating, and panic attacks. While anxiety is one of the most common mental health issues, severe anxiety can be debilitating.
· Severe Depression
Depression comes with a host of symptoms and they vary from person to person. But severe depression impacts someone’s ability to function normally in daily life. They struggle with simple tasks like showering, getting dressed, cleaning and preparing food. Someone with severe depression may withdraw from relationships and refuse to leave the house.
This list isn’t exhaustive, but it covers the most common TPD mental illness claims. Your claim may be denied if you have been declared legally competent despite your mental state. So, it is vitally important that you regularly visit your primary care physician, and maintain good records. The more evidence you have to back up your claim, the more likely your claim is to succeed.
How Long Does It Take?
A mental illness TPD claim can take a long time. Your claim can be denied if you are found legally competent so ensure you are visiting your doctor or therapist for regular treatment to show your claim is valid. The key to a successful mental illness TPD claim is regular engagement with the medical professionals who are treating your mental illness. A simple claim can take up to three months. But if your mental illness TPD claim is complicated, it can take anywhere from six months to several years. The more evidence you have, the quicker the process should be.
Doctor’s Support
When filing a mental illness TPD claim, you will need to maintain regular appointments with your doctor or psychologist/psychiatrist for advice and care. You will also need to seek regular treatment and care from your health practitioner, and undergo any rehabilitative treatment they recommend.
How AJB Stevens Can Help
A TPD mental illness has a permanent impact on your life and will affect you deeply. This can have a damaging impact on your energy and strength to do everything required of you to make a successful TPD claim. If you want to ensure your claim is successful, you should seek legal advice before you claim TPD for mental health.
A legal professional can guide you through the process and ensure you receive the compensation you deserve. They can help you find the best TPD cover from your supers or insurance, stand up for you, help you follow the waiting periods and process the claim to increase your chances of success. The team at AJB Stevens can help you make your Total Permanent Disability insurance claim.
