Long Term Disability
Long-term disability insurance protects workers in the event they become disabled prior to retirement. Many long-term disability policies are offered through employers as part of a standard benefits package, while others are purchased directly from insurance companies. The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), the federal statute that protects participants in employee benefits plans, covers many of the issues that arise when there is a problem obtaining payment for health care and disability benefits claims. Long-term disability, short-term disability, and health insurance claims are all subject to ERISA. At the Law Office of Gregory A. Oliphant, we represent claimants in disputes involving:
- Health claim denials
- Denials of benefits under private (non-ERISA) insurance polices
- Denials of benefits under long term disability policies, both ERISA and non-ERISA
- Denials of benefits under short-term disability policies
All employee benefit plans specify the procedures to be followed during the claims process in regards to long-term disability, short-term disability, and health insurance. There are, for example, specific time periods within which to submit claims and information in support of a claim, as well specific time periods when the disability insurance company or claims administrator must render a decision. There is also usually an internal appeals process, governed by ERISA, relative to a benefits claim. Only after exhausting all administrative remedies through the internal appeals process may a lawsuit be filed in court.
If your disability benefits claim has been denied, please contact the Law Office of Gregory A. Oliphant, today. We understand ERISA, long-term disability benefits, short-term disability benefits, and insurance law in Missouri, and we offer:
- Free, no-obligation initial consultations
- Evening and weekend hours
- Home and hospital appointments, upon request
- Contingency fees - no recovery, no fee
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