If you suffer from chronic dizziness, fainting spells, or low blood pressure, you may have difficulty performing your regular work duties and maintaining a stable income. You may be eligible for long term disability benefits if your condition prevents you from working for an extended period of time. However, proving your disability claim to your insurance company can be challenging, especially if your symptoms are intermittent or hard to measure. One way to support your claim is to undergo a tilt table test, which can reveal how your body reacts to changes in posture and gravity.
In this article, we’ll explain what a tilt table test is, how it can help your disability claim, and what you need to know before taking one.
What Is a Tilt Table Test?
A tilt table test is a diagnostic procedure used to evaluate how your body responds to changes in position. The test primarily measures your cardiovascular system’s response to the stress of moving from a horizontal to a vertical position.
For the tilt table test, you’ll be asked to lie flat on a table that is capable of tilting. Safety straps and belts are used to secure you to the table to prevent falls during the test. Electrodes will be attached to your chest to monitor your heart rate and rhythm, and a blood pressure cuff will be placed on your arm to continuously check your blood pressure. The table is then tilted to raise the upper part of your body, simulating a change from lying down to standing up. This tilt can vary in angle and duration based on specific protocols or the responses observed during the test.
The tilt table test observes how your heart rate and blood pressure respond to the force of gravity. A normal response includes a slight increase in heart rate and a slight compensatory change in blood pressure. Abnormal responses, such as significant drops in blood pressure or heart rate, can indicate conditions like syncope (fainting), orthostatic hypotension, or issues with the autonomic nervous system.
The tilt table test is used because it can help identify conditions that cause symptoms like dizziness, lightheadedness, or fainting when standing. It’s particularly useful for diagnosing conditions where other tests might not have been conclusive. This test is a controlled way to challenge the body’s cardiovascular response, providing valuable information about how your body regulates blood pressure and heart rate changes due to posture.
Which Conditions Are Commonly Assessed by a Tilt Table Test in the Context of Disability Claims?
The tilt table test is particularly useful for assessing a range of conditions that affect cardiovascular and autonomic system function, which can be crucial in substantiating long term disability claims. Here are some of the key conditions often assessed by this test:
Syncope (fainting): This is one of the primary conditions for which a tilt table test is conducted. Syncope can be caused by various factors, including vasovagal syncope, where the body overreacts to certain triggers like stress or pain, leading to a sudden drop in heart rate and blood pressure, resulting in fainting.
Orthostatic Hypotension: This condition involves a significant drop in blood pressure when standing up from a sitting or lying position, which can cause symptoms like dizziness, lightheadedness, or even fainting. The tilt table test helps in diagnosing this by mimicking these postural changes.
Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (“POTS”): POTS is a form of dysautonomia that is characterized by an excessive heart rate increase upon standing. The tilt table test is crucial for diagnosing POTS as it provides detailed information on how the heart rate and blood pressure respond to the change in gravity.
Autonomic Dysfunction: This broad term covers several disorders where the autonomic nervous system, which controls bodily functions like heart rate, digestion, and blood pressure regulation, does not work properly. The tilt table test helps in assessing the autonomic nervous system’s response to stress and positional changes.
Cardiac Arrhythmias: In some cases, cardiac arrhythmias that are positional can be provoked or observed during a tilt table test, helping to diagnose arrhythmias that may only occur or worsen when the patient is in an upright position.
These conditions can significantly impact your ability to perform daily activities and sustain employment, making the tilt table test a valuable tool in documenting the extent and severity of disability in claims.
Why Is a Tilt Table Test Relevant to a Long Term Disability Claim?
A tilt table test is highly relevant to a long term disability claim because it provides objective data on how certain medical conditions affect your ability to stand or maintain balance, which are critical factors in many work environments. Here’s how this test can bolster a disability claim:
The tilt table test provides objective evidence of your symptoms. To approve your long term disability claim, your insurance company will require substantial proof of your condition and its effects on your ability to perform your job duties. The tilt table test offers clear, objective evidence of physiological responses to positional changes. This can be crucial in cases where symptoms are subjective and difficult to measure, such as dizziness or fainting. By documenting how the body reacts, the test adds a layer of undeniable proof that symptoms are not only real but also severe.
The tilt table shows the severity and impact of your condition. The results from a tilt table test can demonstrate the severity of a condition by showing drastic drops in blood pressure or abnormal heart rates upon standing. This kind of evidence can illustrate the potential risks of normal workday activities that involve standing or moving from one position to another, thereby impacting your ability to perform work tasks safely and effectively. For conditions like syncope or orthostatic hypotension, which can cause sudden incapacitation, the test results validate the presence and intensity of symptoms. This is particularly important in disability claims, as insurers often require concrete evidence that symptoms significantly impair normal functioning.
The tilt table test offers support for inconsistencies and self-reported symptoms. In cases where there are discrepancies between reported symptoms and other medical tests, the tilt table test can provide the missing link, offering explanations for symptoms that other tests might not capture.
By incorporating the tilt table test results into a long term disability claim, you can strengthen your case with hard evidence, demonstrating how your medical condition makes it challenging, if not impossible, to maintain regular employment. This makes it a powerful tool in supporting the medical basis of disability claims.
How Do Disability Insurance Companies View Tilt Table Test Results in Disability Claims?
Insurance companies typically view tilt table test results as an important piece of evidence when assessing long term disability claims, especially those involving conditions that affect cardiovascular and autonomic nervous system functions.
Objective evidence is a key component for any long term disability claim. Insurance companies value the tilt table test for its ability to provide objective, quantifiable evidence regarding your physiological responses to positional changes. This can be especially crucial when evaluating claims based on symptoms that are otherwise subjective and difficult to measure, such as dizziness, lightheadedness, or fainting.
Positive results from a tilt table test can strongly support a disability claim by confirming diagnoses like syncope, orthostatic hypotension, or autonomic dysfunction. Insurance companies often rely on such definitive diagnostic tests to verify the medical basis of claims. Additionally, by demonstrating how significantly your blood pressure and heart rate change during the procedure, the tilt table test can also measure the severity of your condition and symptoms. This can influence your insurance company’s decision on whether your symptoms are severe enough to limit or prevent work activities, which is a major consideration in determining eligibility for disability benefits.
Understanding how insurance companies view and use tilt table test results can help in preparing a more effective disability claim. It is beneficial to discuss with an experienced long term disability attorney how best to present these results and any other necessary medical documentation to meet your insurance company’s requirements for a successful claim.
What Are Some Challenges When Using a Tilt Table Test to Support a Disability Claim?
Using a tilt table test to support a long term disability claim can present several challenges, which can affect the outcome of your claim. Here are some key issues to consider:
Variability in Test Results: The tilt table test can produce variable results depending on numerous factors such as the time of day, medications, the specific protocols used during the test, and your condition during the test. Such variability can make it difficult to replicate results or may lead to inconsistent findings, which can weaken the impact of the evidence.
Interpretation Differences: Different medical professionals might interpret the results of a tilt table test differently. What one physician sees as a significant drop in blood pressure, another might consider within a normal range of response. These interpretation differences can lead to disputes between healthcare providers and insurance companies about the severity and relevance of the test outcomes.
Symptom Representation: The tilt table test primarily assesses responses to changes in body position, which might not fully capture the entirety of your symptoms or their frequency and severity during normal daily activities. This might make it difficult to use the test results as the sole basis for a disability claim, especially for conditions that involve intermittent or variable symptoms.
Need for Additional Evidence: Due to the limitations and specific focus of the tilt table test, insurers may request additional evidence to support a claim. This can include more comprehensive medical records, other diagnostic tests, statements from multiple healthcare providers, or even daily activity logs. The need for extensive supporting documentation can complicate the claims process.
Challenge in Demonstrating Disability: Even if a tilt table test shows abnormalities, proving that these abnormalities directly cause disability significant enough to prevent working can be challenging. Insurance companies may agree that your medical condition exists but dispute its impact on your ability to perform your job functions.
Dependence on Good Practice: The validity of the test results depends heavily on the test being performed according to established protocols and standards. Any deviation from these standards during the test can lead to questions about the reliability of the results, which your insurance company might use to challenge the claim.
To navigate these challenges, it is important to work closely with your healthcare providers to ensure that all aspects of their condition are thoroughly documented and to seek additional tests or expert opinions when necessary. Moreover, consulting with a disability attorney can help in effectively presenting your claim and addressing any issues raised by your insurance company regarding the tilt table test results.
What Should I Do if My Tilt Table Test Results Are Negative but I Still Experience Symptoms?
If your tilt table test results are negative but you continue to experience symptoms, it’s important to take further steps to address and document these issues as they relate to your long term disability claim. Here are a few steps you can take:
Consult with Your Healthcare Provider: Discuss the results with your doctor and explain that your symptoms persist despite the negative test. Your doctor might suggest additional tests or revise your treatment plan based on your ongoing symptoms. It’s crucial that your healthcare provider documents these discussions and your reported symptoms in your medical records.
Seek a Second Opinion or Additional Testing: Sometimes, another medical evaluation can provide different insights or suggest other tests that might be more sensitive to your specific condition. Conditions like autonomic dysfunction, for instance, can be elusive and require comprehensive evaluation beyond a single test.
Consider Complementary Tests: There are other tests that might help illustrate your condition, such as heart monitoring (Holter monitor), blood pressure monitoring, or even stress tests. Discuss these options with your doctor.
Keep a Symptom Diary: Start recording your symptoms daily, noting their frequency, severity, triggers, and the impact they have on your ability to perform daily tasks. This documented record can be valuable in providing your insurance company a detailed account of your condition that supports your disability claim.
Gather and Submit Supplemental Evidence: Include statements from family, friends, or coworkers who have witnessed your symptoms and their impact on your daily life and ability to work. Additionally, other medical reports that indicate related issues or previous incidents (like emergency room visits due to fainting) can bolster your case.
Consult a Specialist: If your primary issue involves the cardiovascular or autonomic nervous system, consulting a specialist in these areas might provide more targeted insights into your condition and alternative testing options.
Consult a Disability Attorney: Consider consulting with a long term disability attorney who can provide guidance on the medical evidence needed for your claim and how to effectively present it. An attorney can also help navigate any disputes with insurance providers.
Taking these steps can help ensure that the full scope of your health condition is accurately documented and considered in your long term disability claim, even if initial test results do not reflect your daily experiences.
How Can The Maddox Firm Prove My Long Term Disability Claim with Tilt Table Testing?
At The Maddox Firm, we understand the complexities involved in proving a long term disability claim, especially when using specialized tests like tilt table testing. Our experienced team is well-equipped to navigate these complexities, ensuring that every aspect of your claim is handled professionally and effectively.
Here are a few ways The Maddox Firm can help prove your claim:
We Examine Your Policy and Assess Your Claim: Our first step is to thoroughly review your disability insurance policy to understand the specific provisions and requirements. We assess your claim in light of these details, ensuring that the tilt table test and other necessary medical evaluations align with what your policy requires for a successful claim.
We Handle All Communications with Your Insurance Company: To relieve you of the stress and burden, we manage all interactions with your insurance company. This includes submitting all necessary medical evidence, handling queries, and ensuring that your rights are protected and your claim is presented with the strongest support possible.
We Help You Obtain Evidence to Support Your Claim: We work closely with your healthcare providers to ensure that the tilt table test and any other required medical tests are conducted properly and the results are documented accurately. We also help in gathering additional supportive evidence, such as expert medical opinions, detailed reports on your symptoms, and testimonies about how your condition affects your daily life and work capabilities.
We Handle Appeals and Litigation: If your claim is initially denied, we are prepared to handle appeals and, if necessary, pursue litigation. Our team will reassess and strengthen your case, ensuring that all legal avenues are explored and that your claim is presented with compelling evidence, including detailed results from the tilt table test and other supporting documentation.
Filing a short term disability or long term disability claim can be a complicated process. If you need help during the claims process, with appealing a claim denial, or with litigating a final adverse short term or long term disability decision, The Maddox Firm can help. The experienced team at The Maddox Firm will examine your insurance policy, correspondence from your insurance company, medical records, and any other relevant documentation in order to give you personalized guidance on how we can help you win your short and/or long term disability claim. Our New Jersey and New York long term disability attorneys help clients nationwide.