What to Expect in a Principal Disability Benefit Denial Lawsuit
You probably feel as if the Appeal review conducted by Principal was a sham and you never had a chance to have your Principal disability benefit denial reversed. Your feeling of being called a liar by Principal and questioning if it is even worth filing a Principal disability lawsuit is exactly Principal’s plan. The sad truth is that the law governing long term disability insurance claims favors disability insurance companies and therefore a high percentage of Principal disability appeal denials are upheld. Principal hopes that you will just go away and that they can strong arm you to return to work out of financial necessity. The good news is that with a strong legal strategy your Principal disability benefit lawsuit can result in a recovery of your disability benefits.
What Should You Expect In A Principal Disability Lawsuit?
Through our experience of having helped thousands of Principal disability insurance claimants nationwide, we would like the opportunity to help you win your Principal disability benefit lawsuit. In order to help you understand what to expect in a Principal disability lawsuit, Attorneys Gregory Dell and Rachel Alters have prepared the Principal disability lawsuit video below. We encourage you to contact any of our disability insurance lawyers for a free immediate review of your Principal disability claim denial.
When Can A Principal Disability Lawsuit Be Filed?
The answer to this question depends on whether you have a claim that is governed by The Employee Retirement Income Security Act, also known as (ERISA.). If you have a Principal disability claim that was provided to you as an employee benefit, then your claim is almost always governed by ERISA. An ERISA disability lawsuit cannot be filed against Principal until you have received a denial of the appeal you submitted to Principal.
An ERISA lawsuit usually must be filed within either 3 years of your date of disability or the date of the final disability denial decision. If Principal fails to make a timely decision on your appeal, you can file suit without having to wait for Principal’s appeal decision. . The law governing time periods to file lawsuits is known as the Statute of Limitations and it is an area of law that is regularly changing and not consistent from state to state. In a Non-ERISA disability benefit claim denial an appeal is usually not required by Principal and most lawsuits can be filed 90 days after proof of loss is due but no later than 3 years after the date of denial. In our video below, disability attorneys Stephen Jessup and Gregory Dell discuss the various coverages Principal handles, how they handle your claim, whether individual or a group policy, as well as appeal handling and lawsuits.
The period of time in which a lawsuit must be filed can be a complicated analysis determined by a combination of the policy language and the law of the state in which the person was denied. The best thing to do in many cases to avoid a statutory problem is to file a lawsuit as soon as reasonably possible.
Our Clients Have Recovered Lincoln Disability Benefits in 99% of our Principal Disability Lawsuits.
As much as we love to beat up Principal for their wrongful disability claim denials, we know how to set our egos aside. Our goal for every client is to try to resolve their Principal claim in the most expedient and efficient manner possible. Upon review of your disability denial letter from Principal we can immediately let you know if you have a claim that we think we can help you with. We look forward to speaking with you to discuss your options against Principal.
What Are the Most Challenging Issues in a Principal Disability Lawsuit?
The most challenging aspect of any disability lawsuit is the fact that your Principal disability benefit denial is likely governed by ERISA, a pro-insurance company federal law that governs almost all employer-provided disability policies. ERISA was designed so that insurance companies could offer affordable benefits to employees and in return have limited lawsuit expenses if a disability claim is denied. If your disability policy was not provided by your employer, then you will not have to worry about the ERISA lawsuit limitations. In our video below, disability attorneys Stephen Jessup and Gregory Dell discuss the reasons why ERISA makes disability lawsuits against a company like Principal challenging.
Five Reasons ERISA Disability Laws Favor Principal
- No jury trials are permitted;
- No punitive damages;
- Very limited discovery;
- The Judge usually must apply a standard of review that defers to the insurance company’s conclusion that you are not disabled;
- The Judge can remand the case back to Principal for any additional chance to review the claim and deny it again;
How Much Does Our Firm Charge to Handle a Principal Disability Lawsuit?
The proper preparation of a lawsuit against Principal takes a lot of legal time and our law firm is selective in the type and quantity of cases we accept. Providing the highest level of legal work and personal attention to your claim is a fundamental mode of operation for every lawyer in our firm. We are not high volume social security lawyers that are trying to handle disability insurance claims against Principal.
We have been handling claims against Principal for over 30 years. We only handle Principal disability lawsuits on a contingency fee basis. This means that we charge you a percentage of the disability benefits that we recover on your behalf. If we are not successful at recovering any disability benefits for you, then you do not owe us any attorney fees or cost for the work that we have done on your behalf.
More than 90% of the disability lawsuits that we have handled against Principal have resolved in a one-time lump sum settlement. We encourage you to review some of our Principal resolved case summaries to learn more about our experience. Most of our Principal disability lawsuit settlements have confidentiality provisions which limit our ability to discuss specific details about the cases.
Collecting Principal Disability Benefits Is A Reality
Through our 30+ years of experience suing Principal and our daily work on behalf of Principal disability claimants nationwide, we have seen and we are constantly aware of every claims handling technique used by Principal. We are one of the few law firms in the entire country that has the experience of going through a jury trial and receiving a favorable verdict against Principal. As a result of our years of battling Principal we have established a strong reputation and a unique litigation technique that allows us to cut through the traditional 18 to 24 month delay in resolving a Principal disability lawsuit.
We encourage you to contact any of our disability insurance lawyers to discuss some strategies for a possible resolution of your Principal disability denial. It is incredible and sad how many people we see give up the fight following a claim denial as they don’t want to deal with Principal. Our lawyers make the lawsuit process as simple as possible for claimants by requiring almost no time or effort by the claimant to pursue a Principal lawsuit. Any of our disability lawyers are available for an immediate free phone consultation to discuss your Principal claim denial.
What are the Top 10 Reasons for Principal Disability Denials?
- Principal denied the claim based on objective medical evidence
- Principal’s in-house doctor denied the disability claim
- With no exam a third party medical company denied a Principal claim
- With functional limitations Principal denied a disability claim because claimant has the ability to perform sedentary occupation
- After a compulsory medical exam a doctor hired by Principal denied the disability claim
- Principal denied the claim based on a vocational consultant evaluation of employability in another occupation
- Principal ignored claimant’s treating doctor’s opinion of limited work restrictions and denied claim
- Based on video surveillance Principal denied disability claim
- My definition of disability changed from own occupation to any occupation and Principal denied my disability claim
- Principal based your denial on a mental disability and not a physical disability and therefore limited your benefits to 24 months
Resources to Help You Win Disability Benefits
Disability Benefit Denial Options
Submit a Strong Principal Appeal Package
We work with you, your doctors, and other experts to submit a very strong Principal appeal.
Sue Principal
We have filed thousands of disability denial lawsuits in federal Courts nationwide against Principal.
Protect Your Benefits
Get Your Principal Disability Application Approved
We help claimants throughout the entire application process.
Prevent a Principal Disability Benefit Denial
We manage every aspect of your disability claim following claim approval.
Negotiate a Principal Lump-Sum Settlement
Our goal is to negotiate the highest possible buyout of your long-term disability policy.
Principal Reviews
(16)
Policy Holder Rating
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56%
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Timely Payments
2.3out of 5
Handling Claim
1.8out of 5
Customer Service
1.8out of 5
Dependable
2.0out of 5
Value
2.0out of 5
Showing 8 of 16 Reviews
Principal
Sorry, Principal. My residual and renewal commissions aren't "earned"
(CAPS are added by me for emphasis:) I am a self-employed insurance broker working only on commissions. I was disabled due to surgeries and received some income replacemen... read more >
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Principal
Principal will do anything not to pay
Hello, I’m writing this on behalf of my wife. Her vision has degraded to the point that she no longer is able to see a pc screen without extreme headaches within a few m... read more >
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Principal
Principal is absolutely ridiculous. I'm in financial harship after not receibing my full pay from work and exhausting my long term sick
I was placed on medical leave after suffering from vertigo and later diagnosed with Meniere’s Disease. I was put on medication. During these episodes of vertigo, I was n... read more >
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Principal
Principal owes me 60k
I had a lawyer for my long term disability claim but they wouldn’t sue them for me because the company I worked for sent them a letter saying I didn’t work but 3 hrs a... read more >
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Principal
I lost everything when Principal terminated my benefits without calling or emailing me
I went on short term disability August 1st of 2013 I had to get my left thumb total reconstructed. After 6 months of short-term I went on long-term. My company told me I h... read more >
Reply
Principal
I cant but feel I am being starved out and given the runaround.
I went off of work may 29, 2015, with a blood clot in my leg. I have had vein surgeries in the past to alleviate pain and discomfort, all of which I took vacation on a Fri... read more >
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Principal
Principal owes me 4k
Purchased short term disability through my employer with this group. I’ve been out of work since 2/29/16. Haven’t received the first pay. Contract is I’m supposed to... read more >
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Principal
I've never worked with people that are so obviously stalling before. Bunch of crooks
I have been disabled for over 10 weeks and Principle kept saying the forms incomplete so they needed all the medical records from my doctor, including office notes. After ... read more >
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Answered Questions by Our Lawyers
(25)
Showing 8 of 25 Answered Questions
Q: Can Principal deduct my social security payment from my monthly Principal disability benefit payment?
A: Does you disability policy say social security retirement is deductible? If it does then they are allowed to d... Read More >
Q: Is child support arrears considered an income offset for Principal LTD?
A: Lisa, no I don’t believe it is. Read More >
Q: Why did Principal not back me when Social Security did?
A: Durron, I am sorry to hear that your LTD claim was denied. While there are different standards for approving L... Read More >
Q: What is the difference between time period of the claim while approved and the time period of the claim while denied?
A: Mark, please gather all the correspondence concerning your claim and please contact us for a free consultation... Read More >
Q: Will Principal harass me if I don't accept their buyout? And, is it standard for a buyout to be lower than the full benefit paid over time?
A: Jan, I have not experienced retaliatory actions form Principal for refusing a buyout offer. As to your second ... Read More >
Q: Can Principal's independent physician determine what I can and cannot do?
A: APC, it is difficult to know what they courts would do or how they would weigh the opinion of Principal’s co... Read More >
Q: Do I have to pay Principal back once I receive back pay from SSA?
A: Toni, if your policy was an employer provided policy then almost certainly the policy would contain language t... Read More >
Q: Can Principal take away my deceased husband's 3 month survivor benefit? They justified it saying he was eligible for SSDI when he didn't even apply.
A: Michele, I am sorry to hear of your loss. We would need to see a copy of the disability policy to determine an... Read More >
Helpful Videos
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Showing 12 of 902 Videos
Disability Benefit Tips
(331)
Showing 8 of 331 Benefit Tips
Principal Disability Benefit Denial Options
If you've recently received a disability insurance denial letter from Principal Disability or are worried that your claim for long term disability benefits is about to be denied, you may be wondering about your next steps. Here at Dell & Schaefer, we've helped thousands of disability claimants overcome an initial denial to eventually secure the long term disability insurance benefits they deserve. Learn mo... Read More >
Stephen Jessup and Gregory Dell discuss their experience in handling claims with Principal Financial
Principal Financial is one of the more interesting disability insurance companies to deal with. They sell both individual disability and ERISA group disability policies. Our disability insurance lawyers have helped hundreds of Principal Financial policy holders at all stages of their short or long term disability claims.In this video, nationwide disability i... Read More >
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 >
Dell Disability Cases
(375)
Showing 8 of 375 Dell Disability Cases
After Principal Denies Continued Disability Benefits, Attorney Alexander Palamara Gets Claim Reinstated for a Vienna Beef Employee
Our new client was a dedicate employee of Vienna Beef who worked as a Customer Service Representative (a sedentary occupation) since August 2013. He was a dedicated employee as she enjoyed the job and loved her employer. Unfortunately for our now client, medical issues seemed to be piling up and they began to affect her ability to perform the duties of her own occupation.The Former Customer Service Re... Read More >
Principal reinstates benefits of Orthopedic Surgeon unable to work full-time after Attorney Rachel Alters submits Appeal
Dr. S is 47-year-old left hand dominant Orthopedic Surgeon who was forced to stop working full-time effective May 2, 2016, due to progressively worsening left arm pain which significantly impacted his ability to perform the material and substantial duties of his occupation on a sustained basis. He has a well-documented history of degenerative disc disease, spondylosis with C5-6 neuroforaminal stenosis, and C6 ... Read More >
Dell Disability Lawyers Successfully Appeals Denial Of Benefits To Claimant With Trigeminal Neuralgia
Ms. R contacted our firm after her claim for Long Term Disability (“LTD”) benefits was denied by Principal Life Insurance Company.Before becoming disabled, Ms. R worked as a Litigation Support Assistant for a large, busy law firm. Ms. R had been experiencing head pain for several years with the symptoms first appearing in August 2012 and gradually worsening over time. In July 2015 her symptoms became s... Read More >
Administrative Appeal by Dell Disability Lawyers forces Principal to Reinstate ERISA Long Term Disability Claim of Former Healthways, Inc. Employee
After being forced to stop working in 2007 due to various disabling conditions, an employee of Healthways, Inc., who was employed as a Member Care Manager, filed for Long Term Disability Benefits under a policy provided by her employer that was through the Principal Life Insurance Company.Shortly after applying for LTD benefits, by way of an approval letter dated October 23, 2007, Principal agreed that the... Read More >
Principal Approves Long Term Disability Benefits for Surgeon
Our client was a highly successful Podiatric Surgeon who was suffering from severe neck pain due to two crushed cervical facet joints with resultant nerve impingement. Despite his best efforts to continue to work in his capacity as a surgeon the pain and associated numbness and weakness was making it increasingly difficult to effectively examine and treat his patients. The pain became so severe and his concern... 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 >
Nurse Denied Long-term Disability Benefits by Lincoln After the Definition of Disability Changed
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 >
Disability Lawsuit Stories
(765)
Reviews from Our Clients
