New England Lawyer Handling Disputes Involving Short-and Long-Term Disability Claims

Many employers offer group long-term and short-term disability plans as benefits for their employee. With each premium paid, employees feel secure in knowing they will be covered should a catastrophic event occur and they are unable to work.

Unfortunately, when employees suffer serious injury and pursue claims for short-term and long-term disability, they all too often experience resistance from their insurance companies or have their claims denied altogether.

If you have suffered a disabling injury and need to file a short-term or long-term disability claim, contact Attorney Terrence (Terry) Low in Springfield, Massachusetts. Serving employees in both the private and public sectors, Terry Low has provided skilled counsel and guidance to clients since 1984. He represents people throughout Western Massachusetts and the greater Hartford, Connecticut, area.

Guiding Disabled Workers and Professionals Through Insurance Claims and Disputes

Any significant injury or illness can result in your being unable to perform the duties of your employment. To cover your daily expenses and accumulating medical bills, you count on receiving the disability insurance benefits offered through their employers. If your claim has been denied, you may feel deceived and hopeless.

At the Law Office of Terrence A. Low, clients find they still have a future when a disability changes their plans. Attorney Terry Low provides understanding and compassionate care to disabled corporate and government employees, professionals and other workers.

He will take the time required to fully answer your questions, discuss your legal options and develop a strategy to pursue a successful short-term disability or long-term disability claim or appeal. He also assists people with workers' compensation, occupational disability, and other disability compensation claims and appeals.

Handling ERISA-Governed Plans and Independent Insurance Plans

Most employer-provided employee benefits plans, including most short-and long-term disability insurance plans, are covered by a federal law known as ERISA (the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974). If you have a dispute with your employer's insurance company, ERISA governs how that dispute will be resolved.

Due to the idiosyncrasies of the law, ERISA also gives insurance companies the ultimate power to issue claim denials. To many, including Terry Low, this is a conflict of interest and, in addition to his work representing claimants hammered by insurers, he is also actively involved in seeking federal legislative reform.

Certain long-term and short-term disability plans are not covered by ERISA, including many offered by non-profits, government employers, public educational institutions and hospitals, as well as many private plans purchased by individuals and professionals. Under non-ERISA plans, appealing a denied disability claim is treated as a civil breach of contract dispute under state law.

Terry Low represents employees whose benefits plans are covered by ERISA as well as white-collar professionals such as physicians, accountants and lawyers whose plans are governed by Massachusetts or Connecticut Law.

Whether you need to file a short-term or a long-term disability claim, or if you need to appeal a denied claim, contact Terry Low. He can help you with each step of the disability compensation process.

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