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Ortiz Law Firm | National Disability Law Firm
Ortiz Law Firm is dedicated to helping people recover the disability benefits they deserve. We handle group Long Term Disability (LTD) claims, individual disability insurance policy claims, ERISA disability claims, and Social Security Disability claims.
Yes, age is absolutely a factor in most long-term disability (LTD) claims. From how long benefits are paid to how disability is defined under the policy, age can influence key aspects of your claim. Reaching the Maximum Age For Benefits Most LTD policies don’t offer benefits for life. Instead, benefits typically end at a set …
Are you curious about how your job and education impact long-term disability (LTD) claims? The type of work you do and your level of education can significantly influence the outcome of your claim. Understanding how these factors come into play can help you better navigate the claims process and protect your benefits. Own Occupation vs. …
Wondering if you can apply for both long-term disability and unemployment benefits at the same time? It’s a common question many face when dealing with sudden health issues and job loss. It’s possible, but it comes with specific rules and limitations. In this post, we will discuss how it works when you file for long-term …
One of the most common questions we receive is, “Can I be fired while I am out of work for disability?” When it comes to qualifying for long-term disability (LTD) insurance benefits, the key factor is whether your disability began before your employment was terminated. As long as your disability started before you were terminated, …
Some long-term disability claims go to the US Circuit Courts of Appeals. The United States Courts of Appeals (or circuit courts) are the intermediate appellate courts of the United States federal court system. That means they are the level between federal district courts and the United States Supreme Court. A court of appeals decides appeals …
Long-term disability insurance companies are well-known for hiring third-party investigators to put claimants under surveillance. They spend millions of dollars on surveillance to save billions in long-term disability claims. They want to “catch” you doing something you “shouldn’t,” like taking out the trash or enjoying your grandchild’s …
Social media has become how we share our lives with the world. Long gone are the days of printing and mailing pictures to family and friends. Now, with the click of a button, you can share photos or even live stream videos on social media, which creates a way for families to stay connected even …
In the context of this article, it’s important to distinguish between long-term disability buyout and settlement offers. A buyout offer is extended by the insurance company while you are actively receiving long-term disability benefits. A settlement offer, on the other hand, arises when you have been fully denied these benefits and …
Are you suffering from multiple disabling conditions? You may think that if you are suffering from a set of combined ailments, your long-term disability claim should get approved even faster than if you only suffered from one ailment. But in fact, the opposite is true. When claimants file for long-term disability for multiple disabilities, the …
So you’re eager to file your individual disability insurance claim. That’s good. You don’t want to wait too long, because there’s a limited window to file. But stop for just a minute. Before you do anything else, there’s one crucial step you must take first. Step One: Review Your Application for Disability Insurance Coverage We’re …
Some long-term disability claims are appealed to a United States District Court. If the court upholds the LTD denial, the next step is to appeal the claim to the United States Court of Appeals. For claimants in Florida, Alabama, and Georgia, these appeals go to the Eleventh Circuit. In this article, we discuss the Eleventh Circuit Court’s …
Many claimants ask why the insurance company uses a vocational consultant when reviewing a claim. Isn’t the main issue whether you have a medical disability and you’re medically disabled under the policy? This is a very legitimate question. In this article, we discuss why a vocational assessment from a vocational consultant is a …
As an experienced Florida disability attorney who has handled thousands of complex disability cases since 2005, I am continually amazed that many lawyers still have not abandoned what I consider to be the dinosaur of billing method – the billable hourly rate. Why Would You Hire An Attorney At An Outrageous Hourly Fee When You …
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought unprecedented changes to every aspect of our lives. One area that is seeing dramatic changes is the healthcare industry. Hospitals have become trauma centers, and doctor’s offices have been overrun with patients experiencing COVID-19 symptoms. Many people are avoiding these areas for fear of contracting the virus. …
A fast-growing lawsuit in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania has been filed against the NFL by nearly 4,000 former football players. They claim that the NFL “propagated its own industry-funded and falsified research to support its position” that athletes cannot receive long-term brain damage from playing football. The league’s highest medical …
Television personality Robin Roberts has disclosed that she has Myelodysplastic Syndrome, which can qualify an individual to receive long-term disability benefits. Myelodysplastic syndromes, commonly referred to as MDS, are not easily categorized. They encompass numerous different diseases and are a group of blood and bone marrow …
On December 16, 2016, the Department of Labor announced the release of a Final Rule to strengthen consumer protections for private-sector workers making long-term disability insurance benefit claims for benefits from their workplace disability insurance plans. This action ensures that disability claimants will receive a full and fair review of …
With the spread of the COVID-19 (coronavirus), many people are worried about what effect this will have on their disability insurance benefits. In this article, we will attempt to address some of the common questions we have received regarding COVID-19 and long-term disability insurance coverage and claims. How Will COVID-19 Affect My Disability …
Before you apply for long-term disability benefits, it’s important to understand the laws governing most disability insurance plans. New regulations were released and began on January 1, 2018. These new regulations add new due process rights for claimants whom insurance companies have mistreated in the past. This is good news for …
If you have a long-term disability insurance claim that has been managed by Aetna, and now letters are coming to you on letterhead from the Hartford, do not be alarmed. That’s because Hartford entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Aetna’s U.S. group life and disability business in October 2017. This means that Hartford has …