Our Disability Lawyers Help You Collect Disability Insurance Benefits in Washington
If you are a resident of Washington and would like assistance with your short or long term disability benefits claim, ERISA denial, long term care, life insurance or accidental death policy, there are several things you need to be aware of. Regardless of what stage of the claim process you are currently in, it’s usually best to consult a disability lawyer and carefully go through your options before you file a disability benefits claim, appeal, or a lawsuit. In addition, it’s important to have an experienced lawyer who deals specifically with Washington law because there are certain state-specific aspects that may affect the case.
Washington residents that have had their disability insurance benefits denied can file a lawsuit in the District Court or Superior Court under a limited set of circumstances. Washington’s state appellate courts includes the Court of Appeals and the Washington Supreme Court. If the disability claimant resides in Washington and the disability insurance company is located in a different state, and the amount of disability benefits payable is greater than $75,000, then the lawsuit can be filed in Washington Federal District Court. If the disability insurance policy is an employer provided policy governed by ERISA, then the disability claim must be filed in federal court. Washington has two Federal District Courts, which are the Eastern and Western District of Washington Federal Courts. An ERISA governed disability claim denial lawsuit can usually be filed in any state that the insurance company conducts business. According to the Washington Department of Insurance there are more than 1,400 insurance companies that sell insurance products in Washington.
When seeking assistance from a disability insurance attorney in Washington, it is important to consider how much experience your lawyer has in dealing with your specific disability insurance company. At the Law Offices of Dell Disability Lawyers, we deal with every major disability company on a daily basis. We know every action that they will take. We have earned our reputation in both Washington and Nationwide as aggressive, competent, and reliable disability insurance lawyers. It is essential to hire a disability insurance law firm that has the resources, co-counsel network and experience to effectively represent disability insurance claimants against these nationwide disability insurance companies.
If you need attorney representation in Washington, please contact us for a free phone consultation. We handle disability benefit claims at all stages: applications, appeals, and litigation of disability lawsuits. We are available to help you with any claim in the United States and you will not be required to come to our office. If we cannot assist you, we will try to refer you to someone that can. We encourage you to look around our extensive website and download our free E-brochure to learn more about our legal services.
What qualifies for disability in Washington state?
In Washington state, disability can be physical or mental. Physical disabilities include conditions such as paralysis, blindness, deafness, and severe burns. Mental disabilities include conditions such as depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, autism spectrum disorders, learning disabilities and intellectual disabilities.
For an individual to qualify for disability in Washington state they must have a medically diagnosed condition which interferes with their ability to perform basic work-related activities. The individual must have a disability that has lasted, or is expected to last, for at least 12 months or result in death.
Do I need a lawyer to get disability insurance benefits?
The disability application process isn’t easy, which is why it’s best to work with an experienced disability lawyer. At Dell Disability Lawyers, we understand every stage of the disability benefits claim process. We understand the language of disability insurers and will take care to try to avoid a denial of benefits. However, if you experience a disability denial, we will be with you for the duration of the appeals process.
Do I have to file my disability denial lawsuit in Washington?
In the event of a disability claim denial, our disability attorneys will usually have the option of selecting one of several states to file the disability lawsuit. More than 80% of short-term and long-term disability insurance policies are governed by a federal law called ERISA, which means that a disability insurance attorney in Washington can usually file a lawsuit in any federal court in any state.
Answers to Questions About Working With Us
I need a disability lawyer near me. Do you work in Washington?
Yes. We are a national disability insurance law firm with extensive experience and we are available to represent you regardless of where you live in Washington or anywhere else in the United States. We have partner disability lawyers in every state and we have filed lawsuits in most federal courts nationwide. Our disability lawyers represent disability claimants at all stages of a claim for disability insurance benefits, and we deal with clients who have a wide variety of medical conditions or have experienced injury. There is nothing that our lawyers have not seen in the disability insurance world, so please do not hesitate to give us a call for a free initial consultation.
What are your fees?
Since we represent disability insurance claimants at different stages of a disability insurance claim, we offer a variety of different fee options. We understand that claimants living on disability insurance benefits have a limited source of income; therefore we always try to work with the clients to make our attorney fees as affordable as possible. The three available fee options are a contingency fee basis (no attorney fee or cost unless we make a recovery), hourly fee or fixed flat rate. In every case we provide each client with a written fee agreement detailing the terms and conditions. We always offer a free initial phone consultation and we appreciate the opportunity to work with you in obtaining payment of your disability insurance benefits.
Do I have to come to your office to work with your law firm?
No. We are certainly available to meet with you at any of our satellite offices located in either Washington or another state, however following a review of your disability policy or any other pertinent documents and a free telephone conversation we are usually able to make a determination. It is our job to try to get our clients paid their disability insurance benefits as quickly as possible; therefore we prefer to have an initial consultation via telephone. For purposes of efficiency and to reduce expenses for our clients we have found that 99% of our clients prefer to communicate via telephone, e-mail, text or an online meeting tool. If you prefer an initial in-person meeting, please let us know. A disability company will never require you to come to their office and similarly we are set up so that we handle your entire claim without the need for you to come to our office. Whether you need help with the initial application process, ERISA-governed policy issues, employer-sponsored Long-Term Disability (LTD) Insurance problems, insurance company denial, appeals, or litigation processes, we are happy to help remotely.
How can I contact you?
When you call us during normal business hours, you will immediately speak with a disability attorney. We can be reached at 800-698-9159 or by email. Because we have extensive resources, our lawyers and staff return all client calls the same day. Client emails are usually replied to within the same business day and seem to be the preferred and most efficient method of communication for most clients.
Reviews From Washington Clients
Choosing a disability law firm to represent you in the application, appeals, or lawsuit stages is no easy task. You want to look for a law office with legal experts who have extensive experience in dealing with initial disability claims, appeals processes, and litigation, and have handled thousands of claims. It’s vital that your chosen disability lawyers of Washington have extensive legal resources, a well-earned reputation, and a high client satisfaction rate. Be sure to browse some of the client recommendations to make the best decisions:
Lesley C. from Seattle
This was a very stressful time in my life. The disability company to whom my employer and I had paid premiums to for 30 years and who had paid me disability benefits for the past 12 years had closed my case and denied my appeal. I wasn’t sure what to do.
Following in depth research, endless phone calls and phone interviews of potential representation, I chose Dell Disability Lawyers to represent me. I am very happy I made that decision.
Rachel and Sonia at Dell Disability Lawyers listened to my concerns and reasons for wanting to appeal my claim. They requested my personal statements and files from the disability company for their review. I felt they always kept me updated as things progressed and requested additional info when necessary.
This is not a quick nor easy ordeal to have to go through. However, having Rachel and Dell Disability Lawyers behind me, I felt I had the best representation possible on my side.
They explained my options clearly and provided honest feedback. They didn’t make promises that sounded too good to be true. Their communication was open, timely and made me confident that I was in good hands.
Alicia G. from Olympia
When I called Dell Disability Lawyers I was at a loss of what to do after receiving notice from Cigna that they were terminating my disability benefits after 8 years of having them with no issues. When Jay Symonds called me back, he was very empathic & took plenty of time to answer all of my questions. Given that I had never gone through this before he even advised me to look into other law firms if it would make me more comfortable. We had a few conversations before I retained them & he was very thorough in explaining everything that I could expect from them as my attorneys as well as what to expect from the appeal process.
Throughout the entire appeal Vanessa or Mr. Symonds always kept me up to date & always made themselves available to talk & answer any questions I had. I am so glad I went with Dell Schaefer versus another firm because I doubt I would have received the same personal attention, & that meant a lot to me under such a stressful situation. Everyone I’ve encountered at Dell & Schaefer has been professional & courteous & I would highly recommend their firm to anyone needing a disability attorney.
They are thorough with their answers to any questions you have. They keep you updated throughout the case. They make themselves available by phone if you have questions & need to talk about your case. They are understanding & empathic so you don’t just feel like another client. They are patient even when you are getting frustrated with the process… it is a stressful thing to go through.
I’m not sure other than possibly send some of the documents as Word documents vs PDF documents because sometimes I couldn’t open the PDF documents. Most of my frustrations (& they were few) came from the stress of the situation. Vanessa was a great communicator both via email & phone. I truly appreciate her always taking the time to answer my questions & look into the ones she didn’t know off hand. She always got back to me with anything she had to look in to.
Kristin Y. from Washington
I reached out to Dell Disability Lawyers online after my disability claim denial. Rachel Alters called me that very day to discuss my case and clearly outlined the process. Rachel proactively scheduled time with me once she decided to take my appeal, to review my contract with Dell Disability Lawyers, address any questions I had about the process or the terms of the contract, as well as provide insight on what to expect once my appeal was filed. Ultimately, Rachel won my appeal against MetLife, which meant that I could focus on getting better! I cannot express how grateful I am to have partnered with Dell Disability Lawyers to successfully win this appeal.
Early in my conversations with Rachel, it was obvious to me that she had solid experience with insurance and disability appeals for executives. Everyone at Dell Disability Lawyers, Rachel and her assistant Kathleen, was very responsive in a timely way to my inquiries. I appreciated that so much, as sometimes working through insurance processes feels like a ‘black hole’! Rachel and Kathleen made sure that I always knew the status of my case. Even if we didn’t win my appeal, I would feel confident that I had partnered with the best firm to represent me. But in my case, we did win the appeal which makes my recovery possible!
I cannot think of anything about my experience with Dell Disability Lawyers that would need improvement. Even though we live in separate states, and 100% of our communication was via phone/email/fax, I never felt remote in the process. Thank you so much for helping me.
William K. from Seattle
Dell Disability Lawyers was very helpful with getting my disability benefits paid. They answered all my questions, they were not pushy. They were always kind, professional and friendly. I would highly recommend their services.
Robin B. from Washington
I could not be happier with the service and dedication I received from Mr. Jessup and his team regarding my Long Term Disability from my employer. If not for Mr. Jessup I would have never had a favorable decision, as I had received two denials before I had contacted Mr. Jessup.
My advice to anyone looking for a lawyer to go to bat for you without backing down and having your best interests a top priority Mr. Jessup is who you need to call.
Jamie K. from Tacoma
From the moment I called and spoke with Rachel Alters, I knew I was in the right place. I had called many attorneys prior to calling Dell Disability Lawyers and got turned down because my case was too difficult to win. Rachel Alters took the time to explain the whole process to me and promised that she’d do her best to win my case. Along to way, she was extremely patient, knowledgeable, and always took the time to answers my questions, putting me at ease. In the end, we won my disability case and I was more than happy with the settlement results.
I HIGHLY recommend Rachel Alters to anyone with a short term/long term disability case. The amount of professionalism and care you will receive will make the process that much more smoother. Thank you, Rachel!
Top 5 Disability Insurance Cases Resolved by Dell Disability Lawyers in Washington
Lincoln Approves Long Term Disability Benefits After Four Year Fight — An emergency medicine doctor has won a four-year legal battle against Lincoln to receive long-term disability benefits. The insurance company initially denied the doctor’s claim due to his high wage and substantial monthly benefits. The doctor had a sleep disorder that affected his performance and led to his termination from the hospital.
He filed a claim with Lincoln a year later. Attorney Stephen Jessup helped the doctor build a strong appeal, focusing on Lincoln’s medical reviews. The appeal showed a clear connection between the doctor’s poor work performance and severe sleep disorder. Despite Lincoln’s attempts to deny the claim, Jessup’s appeal was successful. Lincoln finally approved the doctor’s claim after almost four years.
Attorney Jay Symonds successfully appealed and overturned Lincoln National’s denial of long term disability benefits for a Washington Sales Representative — Attorney Jay Symonds successfully appealed against Lincoln National’s denial of long-term disability benefits for Mr. E, a Washington Sales Representative. Mr. E, suffering from Lumbar Intervertebral Disc (IVD) Syndrome with radiculitis, stopped working in July 2016 and claimed disability benefits under his employer’s STD and LTD policies. Lincoln National initially paid Mr. E for 1 week under the Policy’s “own occupation” definition of disability but then denied further LTD benefits claiming the medical documentation did not support continued total disability. After his initial denial, Mr. E turned to Dell Disability Lawyers and the case was taken up by Symonds. The appeal focused on Lincoln National’s evidential inconsistencies and inadequacies, after which Lincoln reversed its decision, reinstating Mr. E’s long-term disability benefits.
CIGNA overturned previous denial of long term disability benefits for Washington Crime Scene Photographer — Mr. B, a former Crime Scene Photographer with serious medical conditions, had his denial of long term disability benefits overturned by CIGNA. He received benefits for over two years before CIGNA stopped them, claiming he no longer met the disability definition. Attorney Jay Symonds at Dell Disability Lawyers helped Mr. B appeal this decision. The appeal argued that CIGNA incorrectly assessed his physical abilities and wrongly believed he could do his job. It also emphasized that medical information confirmed he couldn’t work any job. After reviewing the appeal and supporting documents, CIGNA reversed its decision, paid back benefits, and reinstated Mr. B’s claim. Attorney Symonds is still supporting Mr. B to prevent future benefit termination.
Aetna reinstates benefits for ex-SAP America employee with head injury — A former SAP America employee had her long-term disability claim denied by Aetna Life Insurance. She suffered from multiple concussions and was unable to continue working due to symptoms like headaches, dizziness, and memory lapses. Aetna initially approved the claim in 2017 but later determined she didn’t meet the definition of disability due to inadequate medical documentation.
The claimant sought legal assistance from Attorney Alexander Palamara at Dell Disability Lawyers. With strong documentation and support from medical records, an appeal was filed and Aetna’s denial was overturned. The claimant is now receiving full monthly benefits again.
Dell Disability Lawyers successfully overturn Sun Life’s denial of long term disability benefits for a client with severe cervical disorders — A procurement agent at FLSmidth, Inc. had health issues and had to quit in 2012. Sun Life initially approved her disability claim. She was also approved for Social Security Disability Benefits in 2013. However, Sun Life stopped the benefits in 2014, saying her medical documentation didn’t justify her disability. She hired Dell Disability Lawyers and they filed an appeal. Sun Life reinstated her claim based on the appeal evidence. The legal battle will continue due to policy specifics. Dell Disability Lawyers will provide legal assistance until the policy expires or she returns to work.
Washington State Legal Resources
- Washington Court System Official Website
- Washington Court Structure Chart
- Official Government Website of the State of Washington — Information regarding the state of Washington government entities resources
- Washington Department of Insurance — Regulates all insurance companies that do business in Washington
Federal Courts
- United States Court Of Appeals for The Ninth Circuit — This court has jurisdiction over appeals from United States District Courts located in California, Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Alaska, and Hawaii
- Eastern District of Washington Federal Court
- Western District of Washington Federal Court
Resources to Help You Win Disability Benefits
Disability Benefit Denial Options
Submit a Strong Appeal Package
We work with you, your doctors, and other experts to submit a very strong appeal.
Sue Your Disability Insurance Company
We have filed thousands of disability denial lawsuits in federal Courts nationwide.
Protect Your Benefits
Get Your Disability Application Approved
We help claimants throughout the entire application process.
Prevent a Disability Benefit Denial
We manage every aspect of your disability claim following claim approval.
Negotiate a Lump-Sum Settlement
Our goal is to negotiate the highest possible buyout of your long-term disability policy.
Disability Company Reviews
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Showing 8 of 650 Reviews
MetLife
MetLife for disability? Avoid the surgery unless it's life-threatening
The worst company I ever dealt with, never received a call from my claim manager.
Reliance Standard
Short Term Disability Claim/Inconsistent to NO Communication
When I did call & reach a live person they were kind & helpful. The person assigned to my claim left one phone message & I have not spoken to her since. Information she re... read more >
Unum
Unum Closed My Case Today
Unum will keep you around, if they pay you 100 a month. But as soon as have to pay more than 2700 a month, they will drop you. We will be going to the attorneys office fir... read more >
Prudential
Denied but Not Denied but I am Denied
I went out in Aug. 2022 for neck pain. After seeing a neurologist I had to get an ACDF C5-7, it was also determined I had carpal tunnel in my right hand and bulging disk i... read more >
New York Life
Claiming They Are Not Receiving Paperwork
After suffering from medical issues from my delivery in February, I had to have a colostomy bag placed. Now New York Life is trying to claim my condition was pre-existing ... read more >
Hartford
Truly Horrible and Immoral Company with No Customer Service
My experiences with Hartford have been nothing short of cruel. They started off by claiming that having Glioblastoma, which has an expected life span of about fifteen mont... read more >
Hartford
Sent my Direct Deposit to a Strangers Bank Acct
I went on short term disability and The Hartford put my direct deposit into someone else’s bank account. Somehow they messed up a number or two and they are refusing to ... read more >
Answered Questions by Our Lawyers
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Helpful Videos
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Disability Benefit Tips
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Why Must Your Disability Insurance Lawyer Understand Your Disabling Condition?
When it comes to securing your disability insurance benefits, it's vitally important that your disability insurance lawyer thoroughly understands the symptoms and impact of your disabling condition. Doctors can help you create strong medical records, but they're not accustomed to dealing with the rigorous documentation disability insurance companies require. Lea... Read More >
Disability Benefit Denial Reason #5 – Your Medical Evidence is Weak
If you're seeking long term disability benefits from an insurance company, you may be concerned that you're facing an uphill battle. Fortunately, the stronger your medical evidence, the greater the odds that your claim will be approved. On the other side of the coin, one of the most common reasons for denial of long term disability benefits involves too-weak med... Read More >
Disability Benefit Denial Reason #4 - Your Doctor Is Misled By the Disability Company
When you're seeking disability insurance benefits, your medical records and treating physician's statement are two of the most important components of your claim. But because the insurance company has a vested interest in denying your disability insurance claim, it often will rely on tactics like ambushing your doctor with a phone call in an attempt to get them ... Read More >
Disability Benefit Denial Reason #3 - Video & Social Media Surveillance
One thing many disability insurance claimants don't know about (or expect) from the claims review process involves video and social media surveillance. Disability insurance carriers often hire people to follow claimants around with a telephoto lens - or even send social media friend requests from fake accounts - to glean whatever information they can about the c... Read More >
How Do You Fight a Long-Term Disability Denial?
Getting a denial letter from your disability insurance company is one of the ultimate insults. You are sick and not able to work, yet your disability insurance company is telling you to return to work. The disability insurance company has denied your disability benefit claim and is basically calling you a liar. When receiving a disability denial letter or a ph... Read More >
Disability Denial Reason #2 - Change of Disability Definition & Vocational Review
One of the top reasons for terminating a claimant's long term disability benefits involves the change in the disability insurance policy's definition of "disability." This definition change often happens in conjunction with a vocational review, or an analysis of a claimant's medical records that tells the insurance company which jobs the claimant should be able ... Read More >
Disability Denial Reason #1 – Paper Review & IME
At Dell Disability Lawyers, we've seen insurance companies give countless reasons to deny long term disability benefits. However, most disability benefit denials tend to fall into one of a few categories - and one of the biggest ones is the paper review and independent medical exam (IME). Learn more about what this review process entails and what your claim file... Read More >
How to Apply for Reliance Standard Disability Benefits & Top 5 Reasons for a Claim Denial
At Dell & Schaefer we’ve handled hundreds of long term disability insurance claims against Reliance Standard, and have learned a few things in the process. When you’re experiencing an injury or illness that makes it difficult (or impossible) to work, it can be tempting to file a claim as quickly as possible – but unless a claimant has all their ducks in a row, this could actually delay the ultimate r... Read More >
Dell Disability Cases
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Showing 8 of 375 Dell Disability Cases
Lincoln Approves Long Term Disability Benefits After Four Year Fight
With financial protections afforded to disability insurance companies under ERISA that insulate them from extra contractual damages there is very little financial disincentive to deny long term disability benefits to an insured. This is especially true of disability applicants who are high wage earners whose resulting monthly disability benefits are extremely high. In our experience, insurance companies will g... Read More >
Aetna Reinstates Benefits for Former SAP America Employee Suffering the Effects of a Head Injury
My now client worked for SAP America, Inc. as a Senior Solutions Sales Executive for nearly seven years. She made a great salary working at a job and employer she loved. Her work required superior cognitive and analytical skills and was both challenging and rewarding. Unfortunately for her, in December of 2016, she suffered a serious head injury. While she attempted to remain working, as of January 2017 her sy... Read More >
CIGNA overturned previous denial of long term disability benefits for Washington Crime Scene Photographer
Our client, Mr. B, formerly worked as a Crime Scene Photographer for Sherriff’s Department. In December 2012 a number of medical issues including, chronic pain syndrome, non-traumatic incomplete quadriplegia, chronic and severe neck and back pain, coronary artery disease forced Mr. B to stop working and submit his claim for disability benefits first under his employer’s short-term disability (STD) policy a... Read More >
After appeal filed by Attorney Jay Symonds, Lincoln National overturned its previous denial of long term disability benefits for Washington Sales Representative
Our client, Mr. E, formerly worked as a Sales Representative for a domestic beverage distributing company. In July 2016 a number of medical issues, including the debilitating effects of Lumbar Intervertebral Disc (IVD) Syndrome with radiculitis to his bilateral extremities forced Mr. E to stop working and submit his claim for disability benefits first under his employer’s short-term disability (STD) policy a... Read More >
Dell Disability Lawyers convinces Sun Life to Overturn Denial of Long Term Disability Benefits for a Person Suffering from Severe Cervical Disorders
An employee of FLSmidth, Inc. who worked as a Senior Procurement Agent since 2007 was forced to discontinue working in February of 2012 due to serious medical disorders. She was suffering from Regional Pain Syndrome, Chronic Neck Pain status post C6/7 Interbody Fusion of Fracture, Cervicalgia, Left C6/7 Facet Fracture, Degenerative Disc Disease of the Cervical Spine, C5/6 Foraminal Stenosis, Bilateral Shoulder... Read More >
Cigna Overturns Denial of Disability Insurance Benefits for IT Consultant Suffering from Physical and Mental Conditions
Prior to filing her claim with Cigna for disability benefits under her employer's group long term disability plan, our client was a Senior IT Consultant for a large corporation. In her role she served as an advanced level project manager responsible for the management of multiple teams, making sure budgets were adhered to, strategies implemented, and projects completed on time. To say that she was near the pin... Read More >
Seven Surgeries and The Standard Still Denies Disability Insurance Benefits
Our client was employed with the State of Oregon as a Technical Support Representative. She sought disability through her employer provider LTD Policy with Standard due to low back, hip, and lower extremity pain. She had two hip, two knee and three back surgeries.After paying her for 1.5 years Standard hired a board-certified neurologist to perform a review ... Read More >
Sun Life Wrongfully Denies Disability After Paying For 23 Months
We represent a 57 year-old claimant who’s occupation was selling commercial vehicles for many years. Her job was very physical as it required her to climb in and out of semi-trucks multiple times a day as well as operate them which was very strenuous. She went out of work in due to ongoing and severe debilitating right hip, low back, and bilateral knee pain... Read More >
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Reviews from Our Clients
