Can I appeal a long-term disability denial on my own, or do I need a lawyer?

Yes, you can, but doing so may not be a good idea. When an insurance company denies a claim, it will typically inform you of your right to appeal the decision within the insurance organization itself. You will likely be advised to send to the insurer, at your own expense, further information to support your claim, usually medical documentation.  

In most cases, unfortunately, internal appeals do not result in insurance companies reversing their decisions to deny benefits. Moreover, the time required to start a lawsuit may begin to run from the date of the insurer’s initial denial, while you pursue the internal appeal process, which may be prejudicial to your rights in the event that your appeal is unsuccessful. It is for those reasons, and potentially other reasons as well, that we generally will not recommend that you pursue an internal appeal.