Our Lawyers Get Your Long-Term Disability Benefits Paid
98% percent of our clients collect disability benefits. We have helped thousands of disability insurance claimants throughout the USA to collect hundreds of millions of dollars of disability insurance benefits. Thank you for considering our law firm to help you.
You can greatly increase your chances of long term disability insurance benefit approval by learning all about the claim handling tactics of your disability insurance company.
Discover How Your Disabling Condition Should be Presented to Your Disability Company
Disability insurance companies always argue that diagnosis does not equal disability. Proving that your medical condition is disabling is the most challenging aspect of any long term disability insurance claim.
Explore How Disability Companies Evaluate Your Occupation
Disability insurance companies are notorious for minimizing your occupational duties. This technique is used as a tool to prove that you can perform duties which differ from the job you actually performed while working.
Knowledge is Power. Learn Everything About Disability Insurance Claims
We hope you enjoy these great resources and we invite you to ask our disability insurance lawyer any questions or to leave a review about your experience with your disability insurance company
Established in 1979, we are a nationwide disability insurance law firm that helps individuals collect disability insurance benefits. We have helped thousands of claimants throughout the USA collect over $800 million in disability benefits and we know exactly what it takes to get your benefits paid. We welcome you to contact us for a free phone consultation with one of our disability insurance lawyers.
How to Prove A Knee Disorder Disability Benefit Claim
Knee disorder claims are often challenged by long-term disability insurance companies, but objective testing and proper documentation can help get your disability benefits approved. In our knee disorder disability video, disability insurance attorneys Rachel Alters and Gregory Dell provide tips on how your doctor should document your knee limitations and how the use of outside evaluations will support your case. Contact any of our disability insurance attorneys for a free initial phone consultation to answer any of your long-term disability insurance questions.
Most disability insurance companies wrongfully think that if you have a sedentary job, like a desk job or anything that requires you to sit for at least six out of eight hours a day, then you should be able to deal with your knee pain and work. They believe that you shouldn’t have knee problems if you can sit all day. As disability insurance attorneys that have handled hundreds of knee disability insurance claims we want to share some information to give you the best chance to have your disability insurance claim approved.
How do you prove that a person with a disabling knee condition can’t do a sedentary job?
It’s really important to work with the treating physicians on the way they document the knee restrictions and limitations so that when the carrier obtains the medical records they’ll see that the doctor is not saying that as long as the claimant isn’t standing for long periods or walking or lifting heavy objects, it’s OK for them to work. When somebody has a disabling knee condition, whether it’s caused by injury, arthritis or another chronic condition, they often cannot stand for long periods. It’s important that the treating physician states in the medical records that the claimant also can’t sit for long periods and needs to change positions often. I find that my clients who have severe knee issues need to elevate their legs throughout the day but in different positions. They need to lie down. They can’t just sit all day and be OK – they’re really uncomfortable.
If somebody is in severe pain, whether or not they’re sitting at a desk all day, they are unable to focus and concentrate on their job. So, I tell my clients to ask their treating physicians to make sure they’re documenting that they’re only able to sit in small increments of time – not for extended periods. They must elevate the leg during the day, change positions, and walk around. Most jobs aren’t going to allow somebody to lie down when they’re supposed to be sitting at a desk using a computer all day. It’s very difficult to use a computer while your leg is elevated in the air, so it makes it impossible with somebody for a knee condition to be able to work in a sedentary capacity on a full-time basis.
How important is the documentation of medical records by the treating doctor?
It’s very important for the doctor to document as much as they possibly can in your medical records. There should be documentation that shows the pain that the claimant is in, any range of motion issues, and if there is swelling or other issues with the knees. It has to all be consistently documented in the records. Often my clients will say, “I went to the doctor four months ago. I had knee surgery. And he says there’s nothing else he can do for me, so I’m not going to go back.” That’s the number one mistake that clients make when their doctors tell them there’s nothing more to do for the knee and that it’s now a chronic condition. They tell their patients that they are going to have to deal with this pain. So, they no longer go see the doctor. The insurance carrier takes the fact that you stopped seeing the doctor as their cue that you’re cured and can go back to work. So, I tell my clients to make sure they see their doctor at least every three months. Make sure you’re telling your doctor every issue that you’re having with your knee. If it’s pain while you’re sitting in one position and it only feels better when it’s elevated, you need to tell the doctor.
I have clients who, after sitting 15 minutes in a chair, their knee starts to throb. If they had to do some sort of job where they needed to focus and concentrate, they wouldn’t be able to. They need to tell their doctors that they can’t concentrate for long periods due to their pain. If they take pain medication to alleviate the pain, and can’t focus because it causes side effects such as fatigue and drowsiness, they need to lay down and take a nap. It all needs to be in the medical records. The doctors need to document that they cannot sit for long periods and therefore cannot work in a full-time capacity due to the knee issue.
Could a disability company challenge my claim even if I have multiple doctors who have been treating me for years and support it?
They can do this in many ways. The most inexpensive way for the disability company to challenge your doctor’s opinions about your restrictions and limitations is to hire their own peer review doctors to review your medical records and determine that they disagree. They look at the test results and the medical records. Even though the claimant’s doctors say they believe the restrictions and limitations prevent them from being able to work in their occupation due to issues with their knee, they have an orthopedic doctor who reviewed the records and disagrees. This claimant can sit for six to eight continuous hours a day with no problems whatsoever. They can bend, stoop, all that’s required in a sedentary job with absolutely no problem.
My clients will ask how they can do that when they haven’t met and examined me? They’ve never even talked to my doctors. Can they just look at my medical records and render their own medical opinion which will trump my treating doctor’s opinion? The answer to that question, unfortunately, is yes. The insurance companies routinely send peer review reports to us with a denial letter stating that our doctors disagree with the treating doctors, and cut off the benefit.
What is an independent medical evaluation or an IME?
Disability insurance companies can also send claimants for an independent medical evaluation. It’s a little more costly for the insurance company, so if somebody has a little higher benefit, they will go and send them for an evaluation by one of their doctors. They are biased – they’re being hired by the insurance companies. The companies are paying the doctor to render an opinion. More often than not, when you go to an IME, the opinion is likely going to be that you could go back to work full time in a sedentary capacity. If these doctors were rendering opinions that state that claimants are disabled, they would no longer get hired by the insurance companies. So, they’re biased. I make sure that I very carefully prepare my clients for an independent medical examination to make sure that they know what to say and what not to say. Most importantly, they’re usually followed with video surveillance on the way and walking into the independent medical exam. It allows the insurance company an opportunity to know where the client’s going to be at a particular time to get them on video. I tell my clients to be very mindful that they’re being watched. After the evaluation, make sure you go home because there are many ways in which the insurance carrier can rebuke what your physicians are telling them.
Do I have to undergo knee surgery to get my disability benefits approved?
A disability company can never make a claimant undergo surgery. That’s not something that’s in the disability policy. However, they can try and hold it against you if you don’t follow the doctor’s recommendations. I’ve had clients who are afraid to have surgery. The insurance carrier is not going to require the surgery, but often they will point out that the surgery was recommended and suggest that the claimant is not receiving appropriate care. They can’t force you to undergo surgery because no surgery is 100% going to work and guarantee that you’re going to be back to yourself. Whether it’s a knee or an elbow or a back or a neck, there are always risks involved when it comes to operating. It’s a risk-benefit analysis. If the physician can’t guarantee, which they never can, that after the surgery the patient will be good to go, there’s no real requirement that they undergo the surgery under the terms of the policy.
What is a functional capacity exam and how can it be helpful to prove a knee disability?
The FCE is a test performed by a physical therapist that we often use to give objective proof of somebody’s inability to function and perform a sedentary job 40 hours a week. It’s typically a 3 to 4-hour evaluation that’s going to test your ability to sit for long periods, how long you can stand, how much weight you can carry, and if you can bend, stoop, or climb a ladder. It’s an evaluation of all the physical functions that can be required in any typical workday. The physical therapist will interpret the data generated from the testing to determine whether, in their opinion, they believe that you could sit for long periods, stand for long enough, lift enough to be able to perform a sedentary job. These are very useful tools in proving to the insurance company that the claimant could not do a sedentary job 40 hours a week with their knee condition.
Correlating Your Occupational Duties and Medical Restrictions with a Vocational Expert
Another thing we take into consideration is the claimant’s occupational duties. You take all of the restrictions and limitations from the medical records and correlate that with either the duties of the claimant’s occupation at the time they became disabled or of any gainful occupation, if that is the definition of disability. Often, we’ll even take it a step further and retain a vocational expert, who will then coordinate everything dealing with the occupational component and the physical component as well. We work closely with the claimant, with their doctors, to obtain those objective testing results. It’s a complete package, and you have to know how to present it to the disability insurance company, especially if your claim has been denied so that you can get your benefits approved.
What do you recommend for someone who has questions about their disability insurance claim?
We encourage you to contact us for a free initial telephone consultation, where Rachel, myself, or any of our lawyers will review your disability insurance policy. Or if you’ve been denied, we’ll review a copy of your denial letter. We’ll let you know immediately how we can assist you. Our clients are located all over the country. So, no matter where you live, we’re available to assist you. We encourage you to search through our website and to look up valuable information based on your disability insurance company, your medical condition, or your occupation. You’ll find articles about cases we’ve handled or other lawsuits that have been filed.
There are reviews of insurance companies where other people share their experiences, which may be similar to yours. You’re also going to find thousands of questions and answers from all our lawyers. We want you to have all this information because it’s going to educate you about the disability insurance process. It’s a complicated process with a bit of gamesmanship involved. You have to know how the disability insurance company thinks to put yourself in the best position to get approved. After reviewing this information and having the opportunity to speak with us, I hope that you feel you’re in a better position to either get your disability benefits approved or continue your benefits. Should you need us in the future, we look forward to the opportunity to speak with you.
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Reviewed by Heather on October 3rd 2024 Verified Policyholder | August 2024 date of disability
This company sucks when it comes to disability claims. They are slow at processing stuff, then they always say they didn't recieve the doctors information. You spend your ... read more >
Reviewed by KM on October 3rd 2024 Verified Policyholder | August 2024 date of disability
MetLife is what everyone on this review are saying. They don't contact you to let you know what's going on with your claim or to let know you need additional info. I had a... read more >
Reviewed by RobRob on September 23rd 2024 Verified Policyholder | August 2024 date of disability
If something happens to you at work you better hope you die, my son is going through HELL because this company is handling his work comp. NO RETURN PHONE CALLS, TEXTS, EMA... read more >
Reviewed by Dorothy on November 30th 2023 Verified Policyholder | November 2023 date of disability
I was injured at work. I did house keeping in a hospital. I tore just about everything imaginable in my knee. I was let go from my job, because I was no longer able to do ... read more >
Reviewed by Jacquieline C. on April 3rd 2020 Verified Policyholder
I have been denied twice from Prudential for my LTD case. Back injury 2009 – knee injury 2011. Back doctor took me out of work (July 2018) due to me working 35 hrs per w... read more >
Jacqueline: Sounds like you have a pretty complex medical situation. And the fact that they verbally approved your claim over the phone then sent a denial letter is unu... read more >
Reviewed by Laurel M. on May 15th 2017 Verified Policyholder
I am currently out on short term disability due a total knee replacement. I started having issues back in July 2016. Out of no where my left knee started aching to the poi... read more >
Reviewed by Virgie on March 27th 2014 Verified Policyholder
I was taken out of work 3/2013. I needed bi-lateral knee replacements. I had both knees replaced in 2013. After I exhausted short term disability I was rolled over into lo... read more >
Virgie, unfortunately, your situation is not uncommon at all. At this point you will need to file your administrative appeal of New York Life’s denial. Please fee... read more >
The answer to this question is NO and a recent case brought by a FEDEX employee against Aetna insurance company is an example of an SSDI approval and a long term disability denial. In a recent case, a Fed-Ex employee filed a lawsuit against AETNA following the denial of long term disability benefits. Aetna paid long-term disability benefits for 24 months and then denied benefits when his definition of disabili... Read More >
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 >
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 >
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 >
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 >
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 >
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 >
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 >
Our client, a registered nurse for Dignity Health, found herself in a difficult situation after being diagnosed with lumbar spondylosis and left knee arthritis. She continued to work, however, struggled while attempting to work through chronic lower back pain and left lower extremity radicular symptoms on a daily basis. Sadly, her condition failed to improve and... Read More >
We represent a General Duty Nurse who was denied long term disability benefits as Hartford improperly determined that she was able to work her medium duty job on a full time basis. The medical and occupational documentation submitted with her appeal that we filed on her behalf, as well as the documentation and evidence previously submitted by her physicians, cle... Read More >
In 2004, Sally took a leave of absence from her job as an import supervisor for a global shipping company to undergo surgery for an internal left knee derangement. During that time she had also been suffering from severe symptoms of depression following her son’s departure to college and the at-home environment changing. Her doctors diagnosed her with bipolar disorder II and placed her on depression and anxi... Read More >
A Respiratory Therapist was forced to stop working due to bilateral degenerative knee conditions which required a total knee replacement. Over time, the knee problems resulted in worsening lumbar spine problems, which required surgical intervention as well as numerous steroid injections and physical therapy treatments. The severe lumbar spine pain, as well as degenerative conditions in her knees, prevented her... Read More >
As one can imagine, the occupational requirements of a Corrections Deputy Sheriff are physically and mentally difficult. Due to the risks of working in such a field, the Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office provides a long term disability (LTD) insurance policy for all sworn Law Enforcement Division Deputy Sheriffs, Sergeants, Lieutenants and other qualified employees. Since 2004, this LTD policy has been with t... Read More >
Prior to filing for long term disability benefits with Cigna, our client worked as a coordinator for a large hospital system. After having double knee replacements he found the physical demands of his job to be too strenuous in light of his ongoing pain and movement limitations. Left with little choice he filed a claim for disability benefits with Cigna. Based on the information provided Cigna approved his cla... Read More >
After several month of attempting to handle his long-term disability claims on his own, our client contacted Dell Disability Lawyers. Mutual of New York Life Insurance Company claimed to be conducting an evaluation of his claim, but had not yet paid any benefits. Disability Management Services ("DMS"), a third party administrator, was retained by Mutual Life to administer and process our client's claim for d... Read More >
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 >
In Michael G. Miller v. Reliance Standard Insurance Company (Reliance), Plaintiff worked for Lake Charles Pilots, Inc. (LCP) as a riverboat pilot when he quit working due to a disability. At the time his employer provided short-term disability (STD) and long-term disability (LTD) coverage through Prudential Life Insurance Company.Prudential paid Plaintiff short-term disability bene... Read More >
The case of Allison Pfifer v. Sedgwick Claims Management Services, Inc., teaches claimants the importance of complying with the terms of their disability insurance policy. The specific terms at issue here are: 1) the need to support claims with substantial medical evidence; and 2) complying with contractual deadlines established by the insurance policy for short-term disability (STD) benefits an... Read More >
The Plaintiff in Patricia Ann McNeal v. Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (MetLife), was employed by Alternative Opportunities, Inc. (Alternative) as a mental health therapist when she fell in January 2014 and injured her left knee. Alternative provided short-term disability (STD) and long-term disability (LTD) insurance coverage to eligible employees.McNeal was an eligible employee of the benefit plan, ... Read More >
In Hutchings v. Lora Lyons, Plan Administrator, and Ball Industries Employee Injury Benefit Plan, et al. (Defendants), plaintiff Linda Hutchings injured her knee while at work. Her initial request for disability benefits was granted so she could have surgery for a torn right medial meniscus. The surgery was not successful.Just a few months later, she requested disability benefits so she could have a total ... Read More >
In Mackey v. Liberty Life Assurance Company of Boston, an Arkansas federal court ruled that Liberty abused its discretion when it denied benefits to Mackey on the grounds that there were three vocational alternatives for her without actually considering her abilities to perform the job duties of the alternate occupations. The court did not accept Liberty's conclusion and remanded with instructions that, "A ben... Read More >
MetLife writes one of the most restrictive 24 month limitations in its ERISA governed group disability policies for medical conditions that they deem fall under the definition of "Neuromusculoskeletal and Soft Tissue Disorder." The language commonly used defines the term to mean:Neuromusculoskeletal and soft tissue disorder including, but not limited to, any disease or disorder of the spine or extremities ... Read More >
Prior to ceasing work due to her disability, Ms. S was employed as a service center organizer for Boston Building Service. Her duties included providing worker support during the grievance process with the union, and field support various union related issues. In December 2008, Ms. S was forced to stop working and file for disability insurance benefits due to chronic knee and back pain. Ms. S also suffered fro... Read More >
All disability policies require a long term disability claimant to receive appropriate care and treatment throughout the entire duration of a disability claim. Failure to do so can and will result in termination of disability benefits permanently. A Federal Judge in Florida recently ruled in favor of American International Life, Assurance Company of New York, in an ERISA Disability Lawsuit.Although our fir... Read More >
I am a physician in my 30s who was practicing in my hospital based medical specialty until my Multiple Sclerosis diagnosis began to severely limit my physical ability to work.
My husband and I were obviously in distress at these very unwanted life changes and frankly overwhelmed with the possibility of a long and traumatizing legal battle ahead of us. We knew we were legally entitled to benefits through the separate private individual and employer based ERISA disability insurance policies we had, but even cursory research and discussion with colleagues made it clear that insurance companies will strategize with their own legal teams to find ways to not pay out benefits. We found many before us who had fallen unwittingly into legal pitfalls that prevented them from ultimately obtaining benefits. We realized we needed to seek legal counseling.
We found Dell Disability Firm through their youtube channel where their associates have videos discussing the legal intricacies and latest developments in private disability law. I was impressed by their dedication to the field and reached out through their website to request a free consultation.
We were delighted to hear that Mr. Steven Dell himself would be willing to take our case and felt assured that we would be represented by the best of the best.
We have not been disappointed in our expectation and have, in fact, been consistently very impressed. Steven Dell is clearly both knowledgeable and wise about dealing with these issues but more importantly, has shown kindness and impeccable honesty at each step of the way.
Merlin has demonstrated a very high capacity for organizing and handling the endless myriad of documents and communications between us and the insurance companies. She has also been very compassionate, accessible and forthcoming in dealing with our many anxiety fueled emails and telephone calls to her and we are very grateful for her involvement.
For over 7 months, we have been working closely with Steven Dell and Merlin Bryan from Dell Disability Lawyers as they have guided us through the process of review and initial application for benefits from our two insurance policies (Hartford and Ameritas).
We are happy to announce we just received approval of claim from the Hartford insurance company.
At this time we are still working with this firm as we await the final decisions from Ameritas policy that we are hopeful will have a similar outcome.
As anyone with a chronic and progressive illness can tell you, time becomes a very precious commodity. Through their representation, Dell Disability Associates has allowed us to focus the majority of our time enjoying the time and function I have left while resting assured that our disability case laid in competent and caring hands.
The truth is that no amount of money can make up for what we have lost, but it is a huge comfort to have a team like Dell Disability Lawyers at our sides to help us ensure we will be able to continue to care for ourselves and our families.
We highly recommend Dell Disability Lawyers, Mr. Steven Dell and Ms. Merlin Bryan to handle your disability insurance claim.
Thank you Steven, thank you Merlin!
We will certainly plan on leaving another review for completeness once we have our final decision from Ameritas.
I have been working with Dell Disability Lawyers for the past 5 years concerning my disability as it pertained to my employer. I have been more than pleased with them the entire time. They have always kept me informed of any paperwork needing completed or any changes coming ahead. Nothing has been a surprise. I would recommend them to you to help with your disability case if you’re trying to dip into the policy you’ve been paying for.
Michael M.
I am a physician who has been disabled for over 10 years. During this time I have been represented by Cesar Gavidia and his assistant Danielle Lauria. Their representation on my behalf has allowed me to concentrate on dealing with my disability/disease process and all associated complications and not having to deal with all the things that are necessary in a disability claim. Based on my personal experience from many years of practicing medicine I would consider their work product, insight and effort in the disability claim procedures to be superior. I would recommnend them, which I have done, with my highest level of confidence. In short, you well served with this practice.
I had to retire from my career due to a bad back that restricted me from performing my duties. I had LTD insurance and after a few years of receiving monthly benefits from this insurance company, they notified me that my benefits were terminated stating that I don’t qualify due to my duties not fitting into some “national job description” and a nurse had deemed me eligible to go back to work. Its a crushing feeling to have this told to you over the phone with hardly any information given. Luckily, I came across Dell Disability Lawyers and spoke with Attorney Palamara who calmed me down and stated they would take my case. Within a couple of months my benefits were restored, and I had piece of mind. I cannot thank Attorney Palamara and the staff enough at Dell Disability for their professionalism, no nonsense approach, personal and timely communication and quick ability to litigate my case.
I wanted to thank Mr. Symonds and his legal assistant Sonia for their professionalism, guidance and dedication towards my LTD claim. Going through the denial process on my own was going to get me sicker and knew it was time for help right away. I reached out to Dell Disability Lawyers for assistance and not too long after my call, I was connected with Sonia – Soon after that, I was talking about my case with Mr. Symonds. After a long and tedious process with the LTD insurer, we won the case. The wait can absolutely be lengthy, but in the end, it was all very much worth the fight. Thank you both so much for all that you have done for me! I also want to thank those who assisted in keeping me updated, as needed. Highly recommended for anyone who is going through the brutal process of an LTD denial.
I would like to thank Dell Disability Lawyers for taking care of my case and help me get the insurance coverage that I was rightfully in need of. Specially, I would like to thank Lawyer Alexander Palamara and RIGHT-HAND legal assistant, Sonia Nogueira, who made this process less stressful. They answered all my questions and kept me informed every step of the way.
Don’t get me wrong. They never promised or told me that I was going to win my case, as no one can guarantee that for you. What they did do, was letting me know that they were working hard for me and to keep positive. Something that I recommend everyone to do is to subscribe to their YouTube channel. That will give you an idea on how they operate and why they (for most of their cases) win their cases.
Since I was awarded disability, I am still having surgeries and thanks to Dell Lawyers, I’ve been able to cover all those expenses.
I’m so very Grateful and Thankful for the team at Dell. They worked tirelessly to get the best outcome for me. I’m so glad that I found them!!
Carole S.
Exceptional efficient and professional service from Jay Symonds and Sonia Nogueira. They were both so helpful and knowledgeable and navigated me through a very stressful and difficult situation with New York Life.
Awesome team. Jay and his team, Sonia and Francesca, truly care. This team is very Professional and quick to respond. Jay always provided answers in detail to my questions. I strongly recommend Jay Symonds.
Our goal is to get your application for disability income benefits approved. Applying for disability insurance benefits can be a difficult process and the information you provide is critical. Most disability insurance companies look at your application in hopes of finding a reason to deny your claim. Your disability company will ask you to complete numerous forms, interview you, request lots of information, speak with your doctors and possibly request to have you examined by their "hired gun" doctor.
Through our experience of having helped thousands of disability insurance claimants, our disability insurance lawyers will guide you through the entire application process and give you the best chance to get your disability claim approved the first time.
If your disability insurance benefits have been wrongfully denied, then our disability insurance lawyers know exactly what it takes to get your disability claim approved. You only get once chance to submit an Appeal, therefore every piece of evidence that will support your disability claim must be included. The goal is to win your disability benefits at the Appeal level, but while preparing your Appeal you must consider how a federal judge will review your disability claim if your benefit denial is upheld.
Preparing a strong disability appeal package is an art that requires you to understand how the courts interpret your disability policy language, ERISA regulations / laws, and how to strategically present evidence in support of your definition of "disability". We encourage you to contact any of our attorneys for a free immediate review of your disability denial.
98% of the disability insurance lawsuits filed by our law firm have resulted in either the payment of benefits or a lump-sum settlement agreement. Our disability insurance attorneys have filed ERISA governed and private policy long term disability insurance lawsuits against every major disability insurance company in state and federal courts nationwide and we love fighting for the "little guy" against the multi-billion dollar insurance company giants.
We have recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for our clients and we would like the opportunity to provide you with a free review of your disability benefit denial. There are many complex factors in a disability benefit lawsuit and the legal battle to win long term disability benefits can be fierce.
Approval of long-term disability is a continuous process as every disability insurance company will evaluate your eligibility for benefits on a monthly basis. You can never let your guard down and assume that your disability company will continue to pay your benefits for as long as you think you need them.
Our disability insurance law firm offers a reasonable flat fee monthly claim handling service in which we handle every aspect of your long-term disability claim and do whatever it takes to make sure you are paid every month.
Let's discuss if a lump-sum settlement or buyout of your disability insurance claim is both available and makes financial sense for you. Our disability insurance lawyers have negotiated more than five-hundred million dollars in disability insurance buyouts and we know how to get you a maximum settlement. A disability insurance company is not required to offer a buyout and not every disability company offers them.
We are disability insurance attorneys that know how to get your short or long term disability benefits paid. As a nationwide law firm we have helped thousands of disability insurance claimants throughout the United States to collect hundreds of millions of dollars of disability insurance benefits from every major disability insurance company.
In more than 98% of our cases, our attorneys have been able to either get our clients paid monthly disability benefits or obtain a one-time lump-sum settlement. Our disability insurance lawyers have seen it all when it comes to disability insurance claims and we know exactly what it takes for your disability claim to be approved.
We offer disability insurance attorney representation nationwide and we welcome you to contact any of our lawyers for a free immediate review of your disability claim. We also invite you to visit and subscribe to our YouTube channel where we have more than 850 videos and regularly provide tips to help protect your disability benefits.
Who do you help?
Our disability insurance attorneys help individuals that have either purchased a long term disability insurance policy from an insurance company or obtained short or long term disability insurance coverage as a benefit from their employer. We have helped individuals in almost every type of occupation with monthly disability benefit payments ranging from $1,500 to $50,000.
Our clients include all types of employees ranging from retail associates, sales representatives, government employees, police officers, teachers, janitors, nurses, pilots, truck drivers, financial advisors, doctors, dentists, veterinarians, lawyers, consultants, IT professionals, engineers, professional athletes, business owners, and high level executives.
A strong understanding and presentation of the duties of your occupation is essential for securing disability insurance benefits.
Do you work in my state?
Yes. We are a national disability insurance law firm that is available to represent you regardless of where you live in the United States. We have partner lawyers in every state and we have filed lawsuits in most federal courts nationwide. Our disability insurance lawyers represent disability claimants at all stages of a claim for disability insurance benefits. There is nothing that our lawyers have not seen in the disability insurance world.
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 claimant to make our attorney fees as affordable as possible.
The three available fee options are a contingency fee agreement (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. For purposes of efficiency and to reduce expenses for our clients we have found that 99% of our clients prefer to communicate via phone, email, fax, or video conferencing sessions. 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.
How can I contact you?
When you call us during normal business hours you will immediately speak with a disability insurance attorney. We can be reached at 800-698-9159 or by email. Lawyers and staff must return all client calls 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.