Nurse sues to recover disability benefits

GALVESTON - A Galveston County woman is suing her insurance company to recover outstanding disability benefits, recent court documents say.

In a lawsuit filed Oct. 6 in Galveston County District Court, plaintiff Karen Urbanski claims that Hartford Life and Accident Insurance Co. stopped paying her disability payments in December 2007 although "she was and continued to be disabled within the definition of the policy."

Urbanski worked as a nurse clinician for the University of Texas System and was enrolled in the group long-term disability insurance policy for three years.

The plaintiff became disabled and unable to work in June 2004, according to the original petition.

Shortly afterwards, she applied and was approved for short-term benefits up to August 2004. Hartford then received and accepted Urbanski's request for long-term compensation from September 2004 to December 2007.

The suit argues that Hartford cut the policy short despite the plaintiff's condition, pointing out that the alleged stoppage was a breach of the insurance disability policy.

Urbanski attempted to appeal the denial in October 2008, but was unsuccessful, it says.

Plummer & Kuykendall is representing the plaintiff.

The case has been assigned to Galveston County 405th District Court Judge Wayne Mallia.

Case No. 10-cv-3875