What to know if childbirth recovery, postpartum depression, or anxiety keeps you from returning to work
Pregnancy and childbirth are often described as joyful milestones—but they can also bring unexpected medical challenges. For many working parents, short-term disability (STD) insurance provides critical income replacement during pregnancy and recovery after birth. Unfortunately, people are often unaware that disability benefits don’t have to end simply because the “standard” recovery period has passed. When complications arise, benefits can frequently be extended, and
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Latest from Writing On Your Rights
I have a disability, but I am working. Am I eligible for SSDI?
The reality for many individuals with severe disabilities is that they cannot afford to stop working altogether while waiting for their Social Security Disability Insurance (“SSDI”) application to be processed. The SSDI process can be lengthy and, if a claim is denied at both the initial and reconsiderations stages, it may take years to reach the hearing stage. For some claimants, more than two years can go by before a final decision is made which can be unreasonably long
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How to Work with the DWD to Obtain Your Personnel File
Know Your Rights, and Don’t Hesitate to Act
The Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development (DWD) has a formal complaint process to help employees enforce their rights. This blog post offers some steps that you can take to file a Labor Standards Complaint if your employer isn’t fulfilling your request for access to your personnel file.
Under Wisconsin law, you have the right to access the personnel file that your employer compiles and keeps during your employment. Obtaining your personnel
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Don’t Let The Insurance Company Downplay Your Migraines: How to Prove Your Long-Term Disability Claim
When Migraines Become Disabling
Migraines are one of the most common neurological conditions in the world, yet they are also one of the most misunderstood. Far beyond a “bad headache,” migraines can cause severe pain, visual changes, nausea, dizziness, brain fog, light and sound sensitivity, and an inability to manage even simple tasks, let alone maintain full-time employment.
For individuals with chronic migraines, defined as 15 or more headache days per month, the impact on daily functioning can be
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How to Find a Lost Life Insurance Policy — And What to Do If Your Claim Is Denied
A Guide from HQ Law
When a loved one passes away, families often face not only emotional hardship but also financial uncertainty. One of the most common questions we hear at HQ Law is:
“How do I know whether my loved one had a life insurance policy?”
In many cases, life insurance policies go unclaimed simply because survivors don’t know they exist. And even when a policy is located, beneficiaries may face a denied or delayed claim.
This guide
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Disabled by Alcohol Use Disorder? You Might be Eligible for Short- or Long- Term Disability Benefits
For many years, alcohol use disorder (AUD) was often viewed as a matter of poor choices or a lack of willpower. Today, medical research makes it clear that this isn’t the case—AUD is a medical condition, not a moral flaw. Like other medical conditions, it can cause difficulty in daily functioning, leading to cravings, compulsive behaviors, and impaired control over drinking. These symptoms can interfere with daily life, relationships, and the ability to work.
What is Alcohol Use Disorder?
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Long-Term Disability and Long COVID: Science Is Finally Catching Up
Understanding Long-Term Disability and COVID-19
Long-term disability (LTD) insurance is supposed to help when you can’t work because of an illness or injury. But for many people who are still suffering from the lasting effects of COVID-19, getting those benefits has been an uphill battle. Too many insurers are denying legitimate claims, leaving people struggling not only with their health but also their finances.
When Returning to Work Isn’t Safe
We represent people whose careers have been derailed by
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Hawks Quindel Wins Overtime Class Action Trial for KFC Managers
After yearslong litigation, Hawks Quindel recently secured a unanimous jury verdict on behalf of a class of KFC managers seeking unpaid overtime compensation. The KFC managers alleged that they were improperly classified as exempt from Wisconsin’s overtime pay laws because they spent the majority of their time performing work alongside their hourly crew members and had limited authority in managing their restaurants. After a five-day trial in which numerous witnesses testified, the jury deliberated for less than an hour
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Think Your Doctor’s Opinion Is Enough to Beat a Worker’s Compensation Denial? Not Without This Form.
If you’ve been hurt at work in Wisconsin and your claim has been denied, you might assume your doctor’s medical opinion alone will be enough to counter the opinion of the insurance company and its hired doctor. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. One essential document stands between your doctor’s assessment and getting the benefits you deserve: the WKC-16-B form.
This form is critical in documenting your doctor’s opinion on your work injury, your work restrictions, and your permanent disability,
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What Does “End of Healing” Really Mean in Wisconsin Worker’s Compensation?
If you’ve been injured at work in Wisconsin, you’ve probably heard the term “end of healing” or “EOH” — maybe from your doctor, your employer, or the insurance company. But what does it really mean for you and your benefits?
Simply put, EOH (also called maximum medical improvement or MMI) is the point where your doctor believes your condition has improved as much as it’s going to in the foreseeable future. It doesn’t mean you’re back to normal, pain-free,
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