Guide to Claiming Benefits for Heart Event
What benefits can I claim for heart attack and stroke?
When an artery that carries blood and oxygen to your heart becomes clogged, you can have a heart attack or stroke. Over the years, fatty, cholesterol-containing deposits form into plaque in your heart’s arteries, causing them to narrow. A plaque rupture can lead to thrombosis (a clot), which can cause a stroke.
If you have experienced a stroke or heart attack, a medical specialist will advise your capacity to work. When you can’t perform your regular job role due to heart disease and have a Total and Permanent Disability (TPD), you could claim TPD insurance benefits through your superannuation policy. If you temporarily cannot work, you claim income protection (TTD) insurance. You could also get early access to your superannuation funds, allowing you to retire early.
Can I return to work after a heart attack?
Being back on track following a coronary event is a lengthy and challenging process. Returning to your regular occupation will usually require your employer to accommodate adjustments to your role. While some people will enjoy being busy again, even if they are not feeling 100%, research shows that many patients who work again will leave their jobs within 12 months.
If your heart attack or stroke also triggered a psychological illness, you are twice as likely to quit your job after returning to your role.
With statistics like this, a better strategy would be to access your due insurance entitlements, giving you the time and space to consider your options without the stress of earning a living. Contact Aussie Injury Lawyers now to understand how you might make a claim. It’s free to know your legal rights.
Claiming TPD benefits for a heart attack or stroke
Many Aussies have a superannuation account with several insurance policies, ready to help when the unexpected happens. You could claim a lump sum payout from your TPD insurance policy when you cannot work in your usual occupation because of your heart disease, stroke or heart attack. You could claim multiple times if you’re lucky enough to have more than one super account. You may receive a significant payout if you pursue this option. Some people receive a lump sum payment of up to $500,000.
To have a successful disability insurance claim, you do not need to suffer a critical illness; you simply need to provide evidence that your medical condition stops you from working in your usual occupation or one for which you have been trained.
For example, if you are a bricklayer who does manual labour outdoors, your doctor reports that you can no longer lay bricks. You could claim and later return to work in a different occupation suited to your new circumstances.
100% No Win, No Fee heart attack TPD claims
When you choose Aussie Injury Lawyers for your Total and Permanent Disability (TPD) claim, you will have peace of mind knowing we have a 99% success rate. Once we agree to handle your matter, you have a high chance of getting your desired outcome. We’re a 100 per cent No Win, No Fee law firm, so there’s no cost involved in investigating your case, and you pay nothing until we win your claim. Pay nothing if you lose.
How do I make a successful heart attack TPD claim?
Unlike other types of personal injury claims, how you became injured or ill does not matter when seeking disability benefits.
- Contact an experienced insurance claim lawyer skilled in negotiating with large insurance companies.
- Your solicitor will investigate your policy terms to see what you can claim, how much it is worth, and your insurers’ lodgement requirements.
- You will be assessed by at least one medical specialist, doctor, GP or other health professional.
- They provide an assessment saying your condition is permanent
- Your lawyer prepares and lodges your claim
- The insurer will approve or reject your claim or request more information
- If denied, we challenge their decision.
- Once approved, a lump sum payout is deposited in your super account, where it can be withdrawn.
Income protection claims for stroke and heart attacks
There are many ways in which cardiovascular disease can impact your capacity to work. Your occupation could be a hazard to your health and escalate your condition. When your specialist doctor assesses your ability to work, they will consider questions like:
- What tasks do you do at work?
- What type of equipment do you use, and how often?
- Are you in contact with chemicals, fumes, dust, and excessive noise?
- What is the nature of your work environment?
- What are your regular work hours?
- How is your job impacting your health?
Depending on your occupation, you could have an increased risk of harming yourself or other people due to your ailment. For example, a high-risk field would be driving any vehicle (car, bus, plane, train or ship). The consequences would be horrific if you had a heart event at work and lost consciousness.
When your stroke or heart condition prevents you from working for a period, you claim income protection insurance benefits (TTD claim). Typically, Aussies have income protection coverage through their superannuation or attached to some other organisation, e.g. union membership.
A medical professional must verify your work incapacity to access your income protection benefits. If your condition gets worse, you may be able to file for a permanent disability insurance claim at a future time.
Is a heart attack considered a disability?
Chronic medical conditions like coronary heart disease are generally linked to some degree of disability. In Australia, heart attacks are common and present significant health issues. Symptoms and their after-effects can be persistent and ongoing. The triggers for coronary illness can be numerous and complicated, with a steady onset often linked to age.
About half of Australians with one chronic illness also live with a disability. Having a major illness does not mean you will automatically qualify as disabled. However, you will more likely fit the definition to claim benefits.
If you wish to claim your TPD insurance entitlements or income protection payments, being classified as Totally and Permanently Disabled is a more straightforward process than for the NDIS. To have a successful claim, your medical specialist must show you cannot work in your usual occupation because of your medical ailment.
Our injury lawyers can show you how this works and guide you through the claims process. It’s free to know your legal right to access your benefits.
Get legal help with claiming insurance benefits for heart attacks
Aussie Injury Lawyers are your premier choice when you want to claim heart attack or stroke insurance benefits. If you have cardiovascular disease and are struggling to pay the bills, we can help you access the financial support you need to take care of yourself and your family.
All our clients have access to 100% No Win, No Fee legal funding, which means:
- It’s free to know your right to claim
- The number of claims you could make (some people have multiple)
- How much your case is worth
- Your chance of success
- What to do next to create a winning claim
Rely on our 99% success rate to access the disability entitlements you deserve. Contact us now to get started. Call 1300 873 252
Heart Attack Disability Lawyers Near me
When you need experienced legal insights for a heart disease income protection or superannuation insurance claim, it’s reassuring to know that Aussie Injury Lawyers have locations in all mainland capital cities. Choose your location:
