How should I document my disability for a long-term disability claim?

In ERISA LTD claims, documentation is not just helpful — it is the case. Because federal courts applying the Firestone v. Bruch abuse-of-discretion standard generally limit their review to the administrative record, the evidence you compile during the claims and appeal process is almost always the only evidence a judge will see. There is rarely a second chance to introduce a report your doctor wrote after the appeal was decided.

Medical records. See your treating physicians regularly — at least every 4 to 8 weeks for active conditions. Each visit should produce a note that records your specific functional limitations (not just diagnoses), your response to treatment, and any worsening or new symptoms. Avoid sparse notes that suggest stability. Ask your physician to document how your condition affects your capacity for sustained work activity.

Functional journal. Keep a daily or weekly log of your pain levels, fatigue, cognitive symptoms, and what activities you attempted and could not complete. This journal supplements the medical record and provides contemporaneous evidence of variability — the good days and bad days that a single clinical snapshot misses.

Collateral evidence. Statements from a spouse, colleague, or home health aide describing your daily function can be submitted during the 180-day appeal. Pharmacy records confirming medication regimens, hospital discharge summaries, and physical therapy notes all belong in the record.

Start building this record from the day you stop working — not from the day the insurer first denies your claim. We review your documentation and advise on gaps before you file. No fee unless we win.