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Springfield, Massachusetts is the third most populous city in the state and home to many Bay Staters with disabilities. According to the CDC, 22.9% of adults in Massachusetts have some type of disability. For some, the disability is severe enough to prevent them from earning an income. Those who are unable to work should contact a Springfield Massachusetts disability lawyer at the Ortiz Law Firm to see what we can do to help you obtain the long-term disability insurance or Social Security Disability Insurance benefits you are entitled to.
Led by Nick Ortiz, our firm has recovered millions of dollars in benefits for past clients and would welcome the opportunity to help 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 Insurance 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 Insurance claimants whose cases are at the initial claim, 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 areas of practice are disability insurance cases that have been wrongfully denied or terminated. We assist our clients by gathering evidence of their disabilities in order to obtain the disability benefits they deserve.
First, we obtain your claim file from the insurance company to determine what additional evidence is needed to support your case. The specific requirements for each individual claim are explained in the individual or employer-sponsored l disability policy.
Once we have completed our review of your file, we will request all of the medical records relevant to your claim and work to obtain additional evidence, such as a Residual Functional Capacity form completed by your treating physician and an affidavit 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 every trick in the book to avoid paying you 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, that means denying legitimate claims. Your disability insurance company will do everything it can to delay, cut off, and wrongfully deny you the disability benefits you deserve.
Springfield Disability Insurance Denials
Any long-term disability claimant who is struggling to obtain their disability insurance benefits should speak with an experienced disability attorney. The process and method of appealing a wrongful denial or filing a lawsuit against the carrier will vary depending on the type of disability policy that you have. An experienced disability attorney will be able to review your policy and determine exactly how you need to proceed.
If you have an individual disability policy, then you may not have to appeal the wrongful denial before taking the insurance company to court. You will have the right 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 those 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 require only one appeal, while others may offer an optional appeal or require two appeals.
Under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), which governs most group policies, your case is limited to the evidence that you submit with your claim and appeal(s). You can only present evidence that you have already provided to your insurance company, and you are not entitled to a jury trial. Rather, the judge looks at the administrative record and makes a decision based on everything you and your insurer did during the claim and appeal process.
Don’t 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 means filing 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 allowed 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 prepared to take on any of the major disability insurance companies operating in Springfield and the surrounding areas.
Springfield, MA Courts, Government, and Insurance Department Information
- District of Massachusetts | United States District Court
- United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit
- Government of the State of Massachusetts
- Massachusetts Division of Insurance
District of Massachusetts Case Summaries
- Aetna Committed Abuse of Discretion in Denying Plaintiff’s LTD Benefits
- SSA’s Eligibility Determination Not Binding on Aetna
- Vocational Expert Not Permitted to Consider All Records
Springfield Social Security Disability Lawyers
The 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 located 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 your local Social Security Administration office
- Social Security Administration 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 get the disability benefits that you deserve, then contact our office today to schedule your free case evaluation. We represent long-term disability and Social Security Disability Insurance claimants in the greater Springfield area. We handle long-term disability appeals and lawsuits, as well as Social Security Disability Insurance cases. If your claim has been denied you have a limited time to file an appeal, so call us at (888) 321-8131 to find out what we can do to help.
