On This Page[Hide][Show]

Pittsburgh Long-Term Disability Insurance Claims+−
Pittsburgh Social Security Disability Lawyers+−
Get Help from a Pittsburgh Disability Lawyer+−
- Call Us Today for a Free Case Evaluation

Disability is more prevalent than you might think. According to the United States Census Bureau, 9.9% of the Pittsburgh population under the age of 65 has a disability. If your condition is severe enough to prevent you from working, you may be wondering how you will manage your living expenses and medical bills.

Fortunately, a Pittsburgh disability lawyer can help you obtain long-term disability (LTD) benefits from an insurance company and/or receive Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) benefits from the Social Security Administration while you are unable to work.

Attorney Nick Ortiz has been helping claimants nationwide with their Social Security Disability claims since 2005. He also has years of experience fighting against major insurance carriers such as Unum, Cigna/New York Life, and Hartford. He can help you with the appeals process if your claim for benefits has been wrongly denied or terminated.

Pittsburgh Long-Term Disability Insurance Claims

Our job is to get the benefits you deserve from the insurance company. We know the tricks and tactics the insurance company will use to delay and deny your claim, and we’re ready to fight for your disability benefits. We do not charge attorney’s fees unless we win your case, so there is no risk in hiring an attorney to represent you.

We assist claimants in the administrative appeal process in hopes of getting the claim approved or reinstated. If the insurance company upholds the denial of your claim we will file a lawsuit against the insurance company on your behalf.

We Represent Claimants Nationwide

Many of the claimants who contact our firm ask the same question: “Can I hire you if I’m not in your area?” The answer is yes! The Ortiz Law Firm is based 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 recent years, he has represented individuals from Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and West Virginia.

ERISA Disability Insurance Cases

Most LTD insurance claims are governed by a federal regulation called the Employee Retirement Income Security Act or ERISA. Under ERISA, 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.

This means that most of the work is paper-driven, involving a lot of brief writing, and a lot of correspondence by mail. It is highly unlikely that a court appearance will be required, and as a result, we can handle a federal court case anywhere in the country.

Communicating with Our Clients

Our firm is equipped to communicate with you regardless of your location. We use an electronic signature service for any documents you need to sign, and we also communicate by email, fax, and phone. Anything we need to do can be done by mail, fax, and email.

There are some cases where we may not be able to represent a person due to their location, but we still evaluate each case on a case-by-case basis. Nick Ortiz can either be admitted to your local federal court through what we would call a pro hac vice admission, or he can file a lawsuit here in the state of Florida. If we cannot assist you, we will make every effort to refer you to another law firm that can.

Our Pittsburgh Disability Insurance Lawyer Will Fight for the Benefits You Deserve

Most LTD appeals must be filed with the insurance carrier within 180 days of the date of the denial or termination. If you do not file your appeal within the required time frame, you may be disqualified from receiving benefits even if you are disabled. Under many LTD insurance policies, you cannot file a lawsuit against the insurance carrier until you have “exhausted” your appeals. Therefore, you should speak with a Pittsburgh disability lawyer immediately if your claim is denied or terminated.

ERISA laws are very complex, but a Pittsburgh disability lawyer will understand the administrative deadlines and critical issues that must be addressed for a successful claim. While the insurance company will explain your right to submit an appeal, they will usually not disclose that any future litigation will be limited to the evidence submitted during the administrative appeal process.

It is essential that an experienced LTD attorney review the claim file at the appeal stage in order to determine what additional medical and/or vocational evidence needs to be added to the administrative file and to determine what adverse information needs to be rebutted.

Pittsburgh, PA Courts, Government, and Insurance Department Information

Although we are located in Pensacola, Florida, we represent Social Security Disability Insurance claimants in Pennsylvania. We now serve Pittsburgh, and the surrounding areas, including Allison Park, Aliquippa, Altoona, Baldwin, Bethel Park, Clearfield, Coraopolis, Crafton, Crawford County, Castle Shannon, Clairton, Duquesne, Dormont, Ellwood City, Erie, Fox Chapel, Forest Hills, Greensburg, Johnstown, Meadville, McCandless, McKeesport, McKees Rocks, Monroeville, Mount Lebanon, New Castle, Plum, Seven Fields, Union City, Upper St. Clair, West Mifflin, and Wilkinsburg.

Qualifying for Benefits Under SSA Rules

Disabled individuals must prove that they meet the medical and non-medical qualifications for benefits. The first requirement to determine if you qualify for benefits under the SSDI program is that you must have enough work credits to qualify. The number of credits needed to qualify for the program is determined by the applicant’s age.

The Listing of Impairments

Although it is easy to prove your work history and income, it is not so easy to prove that your condition (mental or physical) prevents you from working at the level the SSA requires. The Social Security Administration will consult the “Blue Book” to determine if a claimant meets the criteria for their condition. The Blue Book lists a variety of potentially disabling conditions and the criteria you must meet to qualify for benefits.

Proving Your Residual Functional Capacity (RFC)

You may not meet the criteria listed in the Blue Book, or your condition may not be listed in the Blue Book. Fortunately, you can be approved for the SSD benefits program based on your residual functional capacity instead. An RFC is an evaluation of your symptoms and limitations and how they affect your ability to work.

What If I Don’t Have Enough Work Credits?

You may be able to get benefits even if you do not have enough work credits to qualify for SSD. Applicants with a low household income and assets below a certain threshold may be eligible for Supplemental Security Income (SSI). You can qualify for SSI even if you have never worked, but the benefit amount will likely be much lower than if you had been approved for SSD.

You can check your eligibility for SSDI benefits by downloading your Social Security Statement from the SSA website. The statement will include a list of your earnings over the years as well as your estimated benefit amount.

The Social Security disability attorneys at our firm assist PA Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) claimants at the following stages:

During the claim process, we will obtain medical evidence to support your claim and guide you through the paperwork that must be submitted throughout the process. We have prepared sample forms to help you complete the paperwork, as well as several hours of video content to ensure you are fully prepared for a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ).

Get Help from a Pittsburgh Disability Lawyer

Don’t let our location keep you from contacting us to see what we can do to help you. Nick Ortiz and his legal team are ready to fight for the compensation you deserve. We represent disabled people in Pittsburgh and even nationwide. We only get paid if you get paid, so you can seek help without taking any risks.

Call Us Today for a Free Case Evaluation

If you are disabled and have been denied benefits then we encourage you to contact our law firm by phone or online to see how our team can help you qualify for benefits. We offer a free case evaluation for LTD claimants who have been denied or terminated and SSDI claimants from the initial application process through the hearing stage. We have recovered millions in denied benefits for our clients.

Call us at (888) 321-8131 or fill out the contact form on this page to discuss your free case evaluation call with a disability attorney. Our experienced legal team would welcome the opportunity to review your case, help you understand your legal rights, and explain how we can help you get the LTD or SSDI benefits you deserve.

Pittsburgh Disability Lawyer