This video provides practical guidance for claimants who have been denied disability insurance benefits by Voya Financial. Attorneys Greg Dell and Alexander Palamara emphasize that the most important first step after a denial is to request and carefully review the complete claim file. Under ERISA, Voya must provide this file, which contains all medical records, internal notes, communications, and medical reviews used to deny the claim. Reviewing the file allows claimants to identify exactly why Voya denied benefits, uncover internal inconsistencies, and spot missing or ignored medical evidence that can be corrected on appeal.
The attorneys stress that an appeal must be thorough and strategic, as it is the claimant’s last opportunity to submit evidence before litigation. A strong appeal includes complete and updated medical records, objective testing, functional capacity evaluations, detailed physician statements, and vocational expert analysis showing the claimant cannot perform their own occupation—or later, any gainful occupation. They caution against rushing an appeal or filing one without new evidence, because once Voya issues a final denial, no additional evidence can be added. The video concludes by encouraging claimants to treat the appeal as their “trial” and to seek experienced guidance to maximize their chances of approval.