Springfield, Massachusetts is the third most populated city in the state and home to many disabled Bay Staters. According to the CDC, 22.9% of adults in Massachusetts have some type of disability. For some, the disabling condition is so severe that they are no longer able to earn an income. Those who are unable to work should contact a Springfield Massachusetts disability lawyer at Ortiz Law Firm to see what we can do to help you obtain the disability benefits you are entitled to.
Led by Nick Ortiz, our firm has recovered millions in benefits for past clients and would welcome the opportunity to assist you as well. Our experienced legal team focuses on disability-related practice areas, including long-term disability, ERISA, individual disability insurance, and Social Security disability claimants in the Springfield area and throughout the state.
We assist disability insurance claimants whose claims have been wrongfully denied or terminated and Social Security disability claimants whose cases are at the initial application, reconsideration, or hearing level. If your claim has already been denied – don’t wait! You only have a limited amount of time to file an appeal with your insurance carrier or the Social Security Administration.
We Handle Springfield Long-Term Disability, ERISA, and Disability Insurance Claims
Our primary practice areas are disability insurance cases that have been wrongfully denied or terminated. We assist our clients by gathering evidence of their disabilities to obtain the disability benefits they deserve.
First, we obtain your claim file from the insurance company so that we can determine what additional evidence is needed to support your case. The specific requirements for each unique claim will be explained in the individual or employer-sponsored l disability policy.
Once we have completed our review of your file we request all of the medical records relevant to your claim and work to produce additional evidence such as a residual functional capacity form completed by your treating physician and a sworn statement from you describing your symptoms and limitations in the form of an affidavit.
Even a well-supported claim for benefits is likely to be denied at some point. The insurance company will use all of its tricks and tactics to avoid paying the benefits you deserve because, at the end of the day, the insurance company is a business and its goal is to make money. For an insurance company, this means denying legitimate claims. Your disability insurance carrier will do whatever it can to delay, cut off, and wrongfully deny the disability benefits that you are entitled to.
Disability Insurance Denials in Springfield
Any long-term disability claimant that is struggling to obtain their disability insurance benefits should talk to an experienced disability attorney and ERISA lawyer. The process and method to appeal a wrongful denial or file a lawsuit against the carrier will vary depending on the type of disability policy that you have. An experienced disability lawyer will be able to review your policy and determine exactly how you need to proceed.
If you are an individual disability policyholder, then you may not have to appeal the wrongful denial before taking the insurance company to court. You are entitled to a jury trial and will have the opportunity to call witnesses.
If you have a group policy, which is usually obtained through an employer, your rights are very different from that of an individual policyholder. If your case is denied you must go through an administrative appeal process with the carrier before you can take the carrier to court. Some policies only require one appeal, while others may require two.
Under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), which governs most group policies, your case is limited to the evidence that you submitted with your application and appeal(s). You can only introduce the evidence that you already provided to your insurance company and you are not entitled to a jury trial. Rather, the judge looks at the administrative record and renders a decision based on everything you and your insurer did during the application and appeal process.
Do not let this information discourage you. An experienced long-term disability attorney will stack the record with supporting evidence to give you the best chance of approval, even if it is necessary to file an ERISA lawsuit. A well-supported appeal can make the difference between losing and winning a case. This is one of the most complicated areas of federal law, so we encourage you to request a free case evaluation by a disability insurance attorney if your case has been denied or terminated.
If you have filed all of the appeals that are permitted by your disability insurance policy, we will work with the information already in your file to obtain the most favorable outcome. Nick Ortiz and his experienced legal team are ready to take on any of the major disability insurance companies operating in Springfield and the surrounding areas.
Springfield, MA Courts, Government, and Department of Insurance Information
- District of Massachusetts | United States District Court
- United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
- Government website for the State of Massachusetts
- Massachusetts Division of Insurance
District of Massachusetts Case Summaries
- Aetna Commits Abuse Of Discretion In Denying Plaintiff’s LTD Benefits
- SSA’s Eligibility Determination Does Not Bind Aetna
- Vocational Expert Not Permitted To Consider All Records
Springfield Social Security Disability Lawyers
Ortiz Law Firm also represents Social Security disability claimants in Springfield, MA, and the surrounding area. The Social Security Administration will soon be conducting hearings using the Microsoft Teams platform which will make it easier than ever for a Social Security disability lawyer to represent Springfield Social Security disability claimants.
How a Social Security Disability Lawyer Can Help
Nick Ortiz is a Social Security disability attorney who is ready to fight for the Social Security disability benefits you deserve. Although our office is based in Pensacola, Florida, we do represent Social Security disability claimants in Springfield. We represent Social Security disability claimants at the following stages:
Springfield, Ma Social Security Administration Locations and Resources
- Directions to the local Social Security Administration Office
- Social Security’s website
- Information about the Springfield Office of Hearing Operations
Schedule a Free Case Evaluation with a Springfield Massachusetts Disability Lawyer
If you are unable to work due to a disabling illness or injury and are struggling to obtain the disability benefits that you deserve, then contact our office today to request your free case evaluation. We represent long-term disability, ERISA, disability insurance, and Social Security disability claimants in Springfield and the greater Springfield area. If your claim has been denied you only have a limited time to file an appeal, so call us at (888) 312-8131 to find out what we can do to help.