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Mental Health Claims
Denied Disability Benefits for Depression?
Depression is the #1 cause of long-term disability claims in Ontario. Insurers deny them because there's no blood test, no X-ray, no scan that proves you're suffering. We know how to build the case they can't deny.
Talk to a Depression Claims Lawyer
No fee unless we win. No obligation to proceed.
Your depression is real.
You already know what depression feels like. The exhaustion that sleep doesn't fix, the days you can't get off the couch, the guilt of feeling like you should be able to just push through. Your insurance company doesn't see any of that. They see a claim file. They see a cost to avoid. And they use every tool they have to deny you the benefits you paid for.
That's not a medical assessment. It's a financial calculation. And it can be challenged.
We fight depression denials from
ManulifeSun LifeCanada LifeDesjardinsIndustrial Allianceand others
Why Insurers Deny Depression Claims
- "Lack of objective evidence". Their way of saying if it doesn't show on a blood test, it's not real. Courts disagree. So do we.
- The 24-month mental health limitation. They use a clause in your policy to cut benefits after two years, even if you're still severely depressed
- "You should be improving with treatment". They argue that if treatment hasn't cured you, you must not really be trying. That's not how depression works.
- Surveillance footage. They hire private investigators to film you going to the grocery store, then argue you're "not really depressed"
- Biased IME psychiatrists. The insurer's hand-picked doctor spends 30 minutes with you and writes a report saying you're fine. Your treating psychiatrist, who's seen you for years, gets ignored.
The 24-Month Mental Health Limitation
- Most group disability policies limit mental health benefits to 24 months. Even if you're still severely depressed, your insurer can cut your benefits at month 24.
- Insurers classify claims as "purely mental" even when you have physical symptoms too, chronic pain, fatigue, migraines, or other conditions alongside your depression.
- If you have physical conditions alongside your depression, the 24-month limit may not apply to you. Many claimants don't know this.
- We challenge and overturn 24-month terminations. If your insurer applied this limitation, there may be grounds to fight back.
How We Build Your Depression Case
- Comprehensive evidence from your treating psychiatrist and therapist. The doctors who actually know you, not the insurer's hired examiner
- Neuropsychological testing: formal assessments that document how depression affects your concentration, memory, and ability to function at work
- Evidence of physical conditions alongside your depression, which can override the 24-month mental health limitation in your policy
- Your full treatment history, showing the severity and persistence of your depression over time, proving this isn't something you can just "get over"
- Functional assessments, documenting exactly how depression limits your ability to do your job, with specific examples the insurer can't dismiss
- Statements from people who see you every day. Your family, close friends, and former coworkers, documenting what depression has done to your daily life
- An independent psychiatric evaluation from a doctor who actually examines you properly, not the insurer's hired doctor who spends 30 minutes with you
Denied for depression? We can look at your file.
Get Your Free Depression Claim ReviewNo fee unless we win.
How to Protect Your Depression Claim
What to Avoid
- Posting on social media, even a photo of you smiling at dinner can be taken out of context. Ask friends and family not to tag you either.
- Missing therapy or psychiatry appointments. The insurer will argue you're not taking treatment seriously
- Stopping medication without your doctor's guidance. They'll use it to argue you don't need treatment
- Telling your insurer you're "feeling better" without context. One casual comment becomes their evidence that you can return to work
- Accepting a lump-sum settlement without legal advice. It may be far less than what your claim is actually worth
What to Do
- Attend every scheduled treatment appointment. Consistency is your strongest evidence
- Keep a daily mood and functioning journal, documenting your worst days, not just your best ones
- Follow your prescribed treatment plan, even when it doesn't feel like it's working, failed treatments actually strengthen your claim
- Report all symptoms accurately to your doctors. Don't minimize because you don't want to seem "dramatic"
- Call a disability lawyer before filing an internal appeal. We can build a much stronger case than the insurer's own appeal process allows
Common Questions
Your questions, answered.
Denied for depression? We can look at your case.
Free case review. Responsive. No obligation at all.
Prefer to call? (289) 210-9449
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