Fibromyalgia & Long-Term Disability
There's no blood test for fibromyalgia. Insurance companies use that against you.
Your pain is real. Your fatigue is real. The way it's changed your life is real. But your insurance company is using the fact that fibromyalgia doesn't show up on a scan to deny your claim. We know how to prove what they say can't be proven, and we know how to prove it.
We Know What You're Going Through
You're not making it up. You're not lazy. And the law is actually on your side.
Some days the pain is everywhere. Your muscles, your joints, your skin. Some days it's the fatigue that makes it impossible to get out of bed, no matter how much you slept. Some days it's the brain fog that makes you forget words mid-sentence or lose track of what you were doing.
And then your insurance company sends a letter that says you're not disabled enough. That there's "no objective evidence." That you could do "some kind of work." As if they know your body better than you do. As if the doctors who've treated you for years got it wrong.
"Going to the grocery store doesn't mean you can sit at a desk for 8 hours. Smiling in a photo doesn't mean the pain isn't there."
If your fibromyalgia claim was denied, it doesn't mean your condition isn't real. It means your insurer decided it was cheaper to say no. And you need someone who knows how to fight that.
Talk to a Fibromyalgia Disability LawyerWhat the Law Actually Says
Fibromyalgia is a recognized disability under Canadian law. Full stop.
What fibromyalgia is:
Fibromyalgia is a chronic neurological condition characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, sleep disturbances, cognitive dysfunction ("fibro fog"), and heightened sensitivity to stimuli. It affects an estimated 1.5–2% of Canadians, roughly 500,000 to 700,000 people. It's more common in women and often co-occurs with depression, anxiety, IBS, and chronic fatigue syndrome.
Why it qualifies for LTD benefits:
Ontario courts have repeatedly and consistently recognized fibromyalgia as a legitimate, disabling condition, even though it's diagnosed clinically rather than through lab tests. The legal standard for disability isn't "can you prove it on a scan?" It's "does your condition prevent you from reliably performing the duties of your job?" For many people with fibromyalgia, the answer is unequivocally yes.
The landmark precedents:
Canadian courts have ruled that insurance companies cannot dismiss fibromyalgia claims simply because the condition lacks "objective" diagnostic markers. Pain that is real, consistent, and documented by treating physicians is legally sufficient. Insurers who deny claims solely on the basis of "no objective findings" are applying a standard the law doesn't require.
Why They Say No
The insurer's playbook for denying fibromyalgia, and how we dismantle it.
These are the exact tactics insurance companies use to deny fibromyalgia claims. We've seen every single one, and we know how to beat them all.
"No objective medical evidence"
This is the #1 denial reason for fibromyalgia. Insurers demand blood tests, MRIs, or X-rays that confirm your condition, knowing full well that fibromyalgia is diagnosed through clinical examination, symptom history, and tender point assessment. They're holding you to a standard that doesn't exist for your condition. We build cases using the evidence that actually matters.
"You look fine"
Fibromyalgia is invisible. You might look healthy in the waiting room, at the grocery store, or in a surveillance photo. Insurers exploit this gap between appearance and reality. We prove disability through functional limitations and medical documentation, not how you look on camera.
"You can still work in some capacity"
They hire a vocational expert who says you could do sedentary work or light duties. But they ignore the fatigue that makes concentration impossible, the pain flares that are unpredictable, and the brain fog that affects memory and processing. We challenge their vocational assessments with evidence of your real functional limitations, not a theoretical version of you on your best day.
Biased IME doctors
The insurer sends you to an "independent" medical examiner who spends 30 minutes with you and concludes you're not disabled. These doctors are selected and paid by the insurance company. Many of them don't even specialize in fibromyalgia. We identify bias in IME reports, challenge their credentials, and counter with opinions from doctors who actually understand your condition.
Surveillance footage
They hire a private investigator to film you on a "good day": carrying bags, walking the dog, driving your kids to school. Then they use that footage to argue you're not disabled. But a 30-second clip doesn't capture the 3 days of recovery that follow, the pain medication you took that morning, or the fact that you cancelled your plans the rest of the week. Courts understand context. So do we.
"Pre-existing condition" exclusion
Some insurers argue that your fibromyalgia symptoms existed before your coverage started, even when you weren't diagnosed until years later. We challenge the timeline, establish when your symptoms became disabling, and prove your condition is covered under your policy.
Our Approach
How we build a fibromyalgia case insurers can't deny.
Proving fibromyalgia disability requires a specific strategy. Generic disability lawyers often miss what matters. Here's exactly how we approach it.
We document the full picture of your condition.
Not just the diagnosis. The daily reality. We work with your doctors to create detailed documentation of your pain patterns, fatigue levels, cognitive symptoms, sleep disturbances, and how these fluctuate over time. We build a comprehensive symptom diary that shows the pattern, not just the snapshots.
We get the right specialist opinions.
We coordinate with rheumatologists, pain management specialists, and neuropsychologists who understand fibromyalgia. If your treating physician's records need strengthening, we know exactly what's missing and how to get it documented properly.
We prove your functional limitations, not just your diagnosis.
Insurers don't care about your diagnosis. They care about function. So we prove with functional capacity evaluations, cognitive testing, and detailed medical opinions. That your fibromyalgia prevents you from reliably and consistently performing your job duties. We document what you can't do, not just what you have.
We demolish their IME reports.
Their "independent" doctor says you're fine? We challenge the examiner's qualifications, identify methodological flaws, and counter with opinions from specialists who actually understand fibromyalgia. One 30-minute exam doesn't override years of treatment records, and we make sure the court knows it.
We fight for every dollar you're owed.
Back benefits, ongoing monthly payments, interest, and where the insurer acted in bad faith, additional damages. We calculate what your claim is actually worth and we don't stop until the outcome is right.
The Surveillance Trap
Having a good day doesn't mean you're not disabled.
This is one of the most common, and most unfair, tactics insurers use against fibromyalgia claimants.
They film you on a good day. Or they find a social media photo of you at a family event, smiling. And they use it to argue: "See? She's fine."
But fibromyalgia doesn't work like that. Your condition fluctuates. You have good hours and bad hours. Good days and terrible days. The fact that you managed to go to the grocery store on Tuesday doesn't mean you could sit at a desk for 8 hours on Wednesday. The fact that you smiled in a photo doesn't mean you weren't in pain.
What we tell our clients:
- Having good days is normal with fibromyalgia, and it does NOT hurt your case
- We document the pattern: the flares, the recovery time, the unpredictability
- We prepare you for surveillance so you're never caught off guard
- We know how to challenge out-of-context footage in court
Ontario courts have consistently ruled that intermittent good days do not negate disability. We make sure that principle protects you.
Why We Win Fibromyalgia Cases
Not every disability lawyer understands fibromyalgia. We do.
Fibromyalgia cases require a specific legal strategy that most general disability firms don't have. Here's what sets our approach apart.
We Know the Medical Science
We understand the neurological basis of fibromyalgia, the diagnostic criteria, the common comorbidities, and why traditional diagnostic tests don't apply. We speak the same language as your rheumatologist, and we know how to translate it for a court.
We've Beaten Every Major Insurer on Fibromyalgia
Sun Life, Manulife, Canada Life, Great-West Life, Desjardins. We've fought fibromyalgia denials against all of them. We know which IME doctors they prefer, which denial tactics they favor, and exactly how to counter each one.
We Start from Belief
You've already been disbelieved by your insurer. Maybe by your employer. Maybe even by people close to you. We don't start by questioning you. We've seen what fibromyalgia does. Our job is to build the evidence that forces the insurer to acknowledge it too.
We Build Cases Around Function, Not Just Diagnosis
Insurers dismiss the diagnosis. So we focus on what matters legally: your functional limitations. Can you sit for 8 hours? Concentrate for extended periods? Maintain a consistent schedule? We prove the answers to these questions with evidence that holds up in court.
Protecting Your Fibromyalgia Claim
What to do, and what to avoid while your claim is active.
These practical tips can make a real difference in the strength of your case. If you remember nothing else from this page, remember these.
What to Avoid
- Don't post on social media. Assume everything you post, or that someone tags you in, will be seen by the insurer. A photo of you smiling at dinner can be used to argue you're not disabled. Set all accounts to maximum privacy and ask friends and family not to tag you.
- Don't cancel doctor appointments. Gaps in treatment give insurers ammunition. They'll argue that if you were really suffering, you'd be seeking regular care. Keep all medical appointments, even on bad days, and if you must cancel, reschedule immediately.
- Don't stop treatment. Even if a medication isn't working or a therapy feels pointless, don't quit without consulting your doctor. Insurers will frame it as non-compliance.
- Don't exaggerate or minimize. Be honest and consistent with your doctors about your symptoms. Describe your worst days AND your best days. Consistency matters more than severity.
What to Do
- Keep a detailed symptom diary. Record your pain levels, fatigue, sleep quality, cognitive symptoms, and what activities you could or couldn't do each day. This documentation is incredibly powerful in proving the pattern of your condition.
- Follow your treatment plan consistently. Attend every appointment. Take prescribed medications. Do recommended physiotherapy. Compliance strengthens your case significantly.
- Get updated functional assessments. Ask your doctor to document not just your diagnosis, but your specific functional limitations: what you can't do, for how long, and why.
- Call us before making major decisions. Thinking about trying to go back to work part-time? Planning a trip? Changing medications? Talk to us first. Small decisions can have big implications for your claim.
Fibromyalgia Claim Questions
Your questions about fibromyalgia and LTD, answered.
Have a question that's not here? Call us. We'll give you a straight answer.
Call (289) 210-9449Related Conditions We Handle
Fibromyalgia rarely travels alone.
Many of our fibromyalgia clients also live with one or more of these conditions. We handle claims for all of them.
For Family & Partners
Watching someone you love fight fibromyalgia and an insurance company?
Many of our calls come from spouses, partners, and family members who are watching someone they love suffer, not just from the pain and exhaustion, but from the denial. If that's you, you're in the right place. You can call on their behalf. You don't need to have all the details. We'll walk you through everything.
Call for a Loved One: (289) 210-9449We handle fibromyalgia denials. If yours was denied, we can tell you where you stand.
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