A disabling illness or injury can occur at any time for a variety of reasons – you could be involved in a motor vehicle accident, suffer a stroke, or you could be diagnosed with a life-changing disease, such as fibromyalgia. You may have the mentality that “it will never happen to me”, but according to the U.S. Census Bureau, 10.8% of Cincinnati’s population under the age of 65 are living with a disability. If you are unable to work due to the severity of your condition(s), you’re probably wondering how you will be able to keep up with your living and medical expenses. A Cincinnati disability lawyer may be able to help.
Fortunately, there are insurance policies and federal programs that exist to aid individuals who find themselves unable to work due to a disabling illness or injury. Employer-funded disability insurance policies (as well as those paid by the employee as part of a group plan benefit with the employer) may provide short-term disability benefits and long-term disability benefits. If you suffer from an illness or injury that prevents you from working, you may be eligible to receive such benefits. If your condition lasts or is expected to last a period of 12 months or longer you may also be eligible to receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits from the Social Security Administration.
However, many Cincinnati Social Security Disability and disability insurance claims get denied. If you received a denial you should not give up hope. You only have a limited time to act, but you do have the right to appeal the disability denial. Our disability insurance and Social Security Disability lawyers can help.
Cincinnati Long Term Disability, ERISA, and Disability Insurance Claims
We focus on claims that have been wrongfully denied or terminated, so we do not assist claimants with the application process. However, if you need help with the appeals process, our team will fight to make the insurance company pay the benefits you are owed and maximize your recovery under your disability insurance policy. We never charge any attorney fees or costs unless we recover benefits for you, so there is no risk in seeking assistance with your claim.
Our Cincinnati long term disability lawyer can assist you with the following stages of a disability insurance claim:
- If you have been denied benefits, we can help prepare and file your administrative appeal with the insurance company in an effort to maximize the chances that your LTD claim will be approved.
- If your benefits have been cut-off or terminated, we can help prepare the appeal to have your benefits reinstated.
- If you have exhausted your administrative appeals, we may be able to file a lawsuit against the insurance company.
- Our firm does not typically handle short-term disability cases. However, if your short-term disability benefits have been denied and you also have long-term disability coverage that may be impacted, then we may be able to assist you with your short-term claim as well.
- If you have been offered a lump sum settlement offer, we can help you evaluate the fairness of the offer and possibly negotiate for a higher settlement amount.
So Ortiz Law Firm Handles Long Term Disability Claims Anywhere in the United States?
That’s right! Nick Ortiz and the experienced legal team at Ortiz Law Firm can represent individuals anywhere in the United States – in fact, anywhere in the world – and we’ll explain to you why.
Ortiz Law Firm is based primarily in Pensacola, Florida, but because most group plans are governed by ERISA, Nick Ortiz can handle a case anywhere in the United States. In fact, in the past few years, he has represented individuals across the country, and even claimants around the world (prior clients have lived in Morocco and the Philippines, for example).
During the administrative appeals process, it doesn’t matter where you or your disability attorneys are located. Your attorney can obtain medical evidence, prepare a legal argument, and submit your appeal package from anywhere in the country.
Filing a Lawsuit Under ERISA Disability Law
Most long-term disability cases are governed by a federal regulation called ERISA. When dealing with ERISA regulations, you do not have the right to a jury trial, and – in most cases – you do not have the right to engage in extensive discovery. That means that most of the work is paper-driven, involves a lot of brief writing, and a lot of correspondence by mail. There are very few court appearances required. As a result, we can handle a federal court case anywhere in the state.
In terms of communicating with you, we use an electronic signature service for a lot of the correspondence, and then we e-mail and communicate by phone, so everything can be done by mail and e-mail.
We evaluate each case on a case-by-case basis. Nick Ortiz can either be admitted to your local federal court by what we would call a pro hac vice admission, or he can file a lawsuit here in the state of Florida. If your claim has been denied or terminated, we encourage you to schedule a free consultation with Nick Ortiz as soon as possible.
Cincinnati, OH Courts, Government, and Department of Insurance Information
Southern District of Ohio | United States District Court
United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit
Official government website for the State of Ohio
Southern District of Ohio Case Summaries
Claimant’s Failure to Report Symptoms Led to Claim Denial
Court Rules in Favor of Reliance: Plaintiff Not Totally Disabled
LINA Acted Arbitrarily and Capriciously in Denying Claim
Cincinnati Social Security Disability Lawyers
If you do not have a disability insurance policy (or even if you do) you may be eligible to receive Social Security Disability benefits. However, Cincinnati Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) claims frequently get denied. Coping with a disabling illness or injury is difficult enough, so let Board Certified Social Security Disability lawyer, Nick Ortiz, fight for the Social Security Disability benefits you deserve.
How a Social Security Disability Lawyer Can Help
Our Social Security Disability lawyers are based out of our office in Pensacola, Florida, but we do assist Social Security Disability benefits claimants nationwide. The Social Security Administration is conducting hearings before an administrative law judge over the phone and using the Microsoft Teams platform, so it is not necessary for a claimant or their Social Security Disability lawyer to travel in order to attend a hearing before an administrative law judge.
Our Social Security Disability lawyers can assist you during the following stages of an SSDI claim:
- Initial Application
- Request for Reconsideration
- Request for Hearing Before an Administrative Law Judge
What About Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Claims?
Our Cincinnati Social Security Disability lawyers do not handle Supplemental Security Income (SSI) claims unless a claimant is also eligible for Social Security Disability Insurance benefits.
Cincinnati, OH SSA Locations and Resources
Directions to the local Cincinnati, OH Social Security Administration Office
Information about the Cincinnati, OH Office of Hearing Operations / Office of Disability Adjudication and Review that processes Cincinnati Social Security Disability benefits claims and Supplemental Security Income claims
Schedule a Free Case Evaluation with a Cincinnati Disability Lawyer
Don’t wait – contact our office today to find out how we can help with your unique case. Our attorneys offer a free consultation for individuals whose long-term disability claims have been wrongfully denied or terminated and who need help filing an appeal or a lawsuit. We also offer a free case evaluation for individuals seeking Social Security Disability Insurance benefits if their claim is at the initial, reconsideration, or hearing level of the process.
We review each claim on a case-by-case basis, regardless of your location, and we would welcome the opportunity to discuss your claim with you. Don’t let your insurer or the SSA deny you the benefits you deserve. If you’re in the Cincinnati, Ohio, area and cannot work due to a disability, then please give us a call right away at (866) 853-4512 to discuss your legal rights.