Questions to Ask an ERISA Attorney After an LTD Denial

What Questions Should You Ask an ERISA Attorney After an LTD Denial?

Long-term disability (LTD) insurance is helpful if you are injured to the point that you need to take time off work to recover. However, sometimes the LTD claim gets denied, and you need to appeal the decision for a chance to get the coverage you deserve. In that case, you’ll need the help of a lawyer who is experienced in handling appeals. Before you hire an ERISA lawyer, find out the top three questions you should ask.

What Kinds of Cases Have You Handled?

First, ensuring your lawyer has successfully handled cases like yours is important. Remember that ERISA sets the standards for numerous employee benefits, including pensions, vacation time, health plans, disability insurance, and more. This means not every ERISA lawyer has taken on cases where an employee is appealing a long-term disability decision, so make sure you find a lawyer who has. Once you do, you should find out how many years of experience they have and what kinds of outcomes the cases had for clients.

How Do the Legal Fees Work?

If you’re out of work due to an injury and just got denied long-term disability, you’re likely worried about money, so questions about legal fees should be on your mind. In particular, you should ask what the legal fees are and how you will be charged. Some Philadelphia ERISA lawyers charge hourly, while others charge fees on a contingency basis, where you only pay legal fees once you get your money from disability insurance. In some cases, the insurance company may even pay for some of your legal fees if your appeal is successful. Regardless, it would help if you looked for a law firm whose legal fees you are comfortable with before you get a lawyer’s help appealing the disability decision.

How Can You Help Me Get Long-Term Disability Benefits?

Finally, it’s important to find out how your ERISA attorney plans to help with your claim. Some lawyers are willing to send in a written appeal to try to get the claim accepted, but they stop there. Others will go further and file a lawsuit if necessary, so consider what kind of legal assistance you may need before you hire a lawyer. Otherwise, you may have to switch legal teams if yours won’t file a lawsuit and you’re not ready to give up.

You deserve the chance to get legal assistance from a team that has handled numerous cases like yours in and around Philadelphia, putting in as much work as it takes to get clients the long-term disability coverage they need. If you’re ready to fight an LTD denial, contact our law firm at (215) 940-8900 to learn how our ERISA lawyers can help.

Written By: Chad Boonswang
Chad G. Boonswang, Esquire is a litigation lawyer based in Philadelphia, PA. Selected as an ASLA 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 Top 100 Litigation Lawyer, Mr. Boonswang plays to win. As a lawyer, athlete, and scholar, he has always put in the energy, time, and commitment to be the best. After working for several prominent law firms in Philadelphia, including Montgomery McCracken Walker & Rhoads LLP, he founded his own practice in 2002.  Since then Chad has recovered tens of millions of dollars on behalf of his clients from life insurance claims and catastrophic injury cases.  Year after year, he has earned a 10.00 Superb rating on Avvo.

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