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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.
Not being able to earn an income can be scary. If you or a loved one cannot work due to an injury or medical condition, you have likely filed, or will soon be filing, an application for long-term disability insurance benefits. It is essential to know that your disability insurance company has certain obligations when …
According to the CDC, about 61 million adults in the United States have a disability. That means 1 in 4 adults have some disability, whether back problems, autoimmune disorders, heart diseases, vision impairment, or one of many other disabling medical conditions. Living with a disabling condition is tough enough on its own, but one of …
When applying for long-term disability (LTD) insurance benefits, you must know that disability insurance companies deny many claims. Even if your disability insurance claim is initially approved, you need to know that your insurance company can terminate or cut off your benefits. If the insurance company decides you are no longer disabled, they can …
If you are a school board employee, you are likely covered by your county’s short-term disability (STD) and long-term disability (LTD) insurance plan. Disability insurance coverage is available to most individuals employed by public schools, such as teachers and janitorial staff, although certain requirements (such as working a certain number …
The gut-wrenching sound of a knee injury is a familiar sound for athletes. You may have witnessed a knee injury watching a professional basketball game. Knee injuries account for 50% of all injuries in athletes. But knee injuries don’t just happen under the lights in a large stadium. Knee injuries and pain are common in …
Your functional limitations are the most critical evidence for your long-term disability claim. Your insurance company is interested in how your disability affects your ability to work. The insurance claim examiner (and a judge if your claim goes to court) will look for you to provide detailed doctor’s notes on activity limitations. This …
You can still have a life that involves traveling when you have a long-term disability. The disability insurance companies may not like it, but being on long-term disability doesn’t mean you are on house arrest. Traveling can be a little more complicated when receiving disability payments, but it is doable with additional planning. The Do’s of …
The use of drones as a new way to gather information and decrease the costs of long-term disability insurance claim investigations is on the rise. Why Do Insurance Companies Use Drones to Spy? Insurance companies have the duty of investigating disability insurance claims. Most insurance claims are legitimate claims filed by truly disabled …
After you have exhausted your short-term disability benefits (usually a requirement), you can apply for long-term disability (LTD) benefits. Knowing how the process will work before you apply is helpful. In this article, we walk you through the long-term disability process from application to award. Applying for Long-Term Disability Benefits Step …
My name is Nick Ortiz, and I am a national long-term disability attorney who has been appealing long-term disability claim denials since 2005. I wrote this LTD appeal guide to help non-attorneys successfully appeal a wrongful denial or termination of benefits. My mission is to provide you with the same forms and tactics I use …
Question: “My job is saying I must resign since I am filing for long-term disability and do not plan to return to work. Should I consider resigning due to a disability?” The simple answer is most likely “no.” In fact, if you resign, you will lose your long-term disability benefits altogether. Except for very few …
When you file a long-term disability claim, it is common for the insurance investigator to call you and ask casual questions about your health and daily life. Next, they will say, "We want to send someone to your home to meet with you to discuss your claim." This is called a field interview.
Note: This form is also known as an Attending Physician Statement (APS) or a Medical Source Statement (MSS). We will use these terms interchangeably throughout the rest of this article. What Is A Residual Functional Capacity Assessment? A residual functional capacity assessment evaluates your impairment(s) and any related symptoms, such as pain, …
In a perfect world, anyone who suffers from a physical or emotional disability would have the resources to seek treatment and provide for themselves without supplemental income. But since we live in the real world, many people struggle to make ends meet during a period of disability. Long-term disability insurance is supposed to provide …
The Definition of Disability One of the most important things to know is how disability is defined in your policy. Whether you have an employer-provided group policy or an individual policy, there are significant differences in the definitions of disability. Understanding these differences is crucial for filing successful long-term disability …
What Is an Independent Medical Examination? An independent medical examination (IME) is an exam performed by a medical professional not currently associated with your case. However, we don’t like using the term “independent” when referring to a medical examination ordered by a disability insurance company. The word independent is …
Many people on long-term disability worry about whether they will continue to receive benefits beyond the two-year mark, and for a good reason: Long-term disability denials are common after two years because most disability insurance policies change the definition of disability or will no longer pay benefits for certain conditions after benefits …
When most people file a long-term disability appeal, it is a really basic, one or two-paragraph appeal letter that says, “Look, long-term disability insurance company. I really think you got this one wrong. I think there is more than enough evidence to support my long-term disability claim. I want you to go back, take another …
If your disability insurance company has denied or terminated your long-term disability claim, you should review your insurance policy to familiarize yourself with your appeal rights and requirements. Specifically, you should determine how many appeals you have the right to or are required to file before you can file a lawsuit against your insurer. …
I cannot emphasize enough that the most important part of a Social Security Disability claim is medical records. The most common response I receive from my clients is, “How am I supposed to see a doctor or go to the hospital if I don’t have any money or insurance?” This is a valid point. In fact, lack …
Doctor shopping is the practice of seeking out multiple doctors – often to either: (1) obtain a specific diagnosis or medication or (2) find one that agrees with you on your disability or illness. Doctor shopping is not just for claimants; insurance carriers have also been known to doctor shop. What Is Doctor Shopping? When …
People often ask us what the chances are that they will win a lawsuit in a long-term disability claim. It is impossible to answer with certainty because of the number of factors that go into the decision. However, I can speak from our firm’s own experience. First, we must clarify what we mean by “winning a lawsuit.” …
When you’re going through the long-term disability application process the insurance company will typically send you an application that has a few pages of questions for you. One of the questions is, “What is it about your condition(s) that keeps you from being able to work?” There might be two lines for you to fill in why …
When you’re denied long-term disability benefits, you must go through the administrative review process. If your appeals are unsuccessful, the next step is to go to court. Winning an LTD claim in court can often feel like an uphill battle. In this post, we’ll delve into the reasons why winning an LTD claim in court is so challenging. When you …