Disability Blog & Cases:
UNUM class action filed by New York disability insurance attorneys is dismissed by Federal Judge
A Federal District Court in New York recently dismissed the class action lawsuit of four individuals whose disability insurance claims were denied or terminated by the Unum Provident Corporation. The individuals filed the lawsuit because they believed that Unum denied or terminated their claims to meet expectations as to revenue and profit for the corporation. To understand the Court’s decision, we must look at the underlying facts of the case. It is unfortunate that after several years of litigation, the New York disability insurance lawyers and their clients were unsuccessful in obtaining long term disability insurance benefits. The court did not dispute Unum’s unreasonable claims handling tactics, rather the court dismissed the case because the Judge felt that any further action against UNUM in light of the RSA agreement would be moot. Let’s take a closer look at the facts.
Disability Blog & Cases:
Disability insurance claimant’s allegation of bad faith against Unum Provident is disallowed due to ERISA regulations
A federal district court in California recently ruled that a disability claimant could not recover on his state-law claim for breach of implied covenant of good faith and fair dealing. This specific count is also known as “Bad Faith”. The court found that the disability plan at issue fell under the federal ERISA statute, and, as such, his state-law claim was preempted by ERISA. ERISA prohibits bad faith claims, which is why every insurer always wants a claim to be governed by ERISA. Check out our video on why ERISA is an unfair law. This case is a good summary of the law in California regarding when a disability policy may be exempt from ERISA. The California disability insurance attorneys that filed this ERISA disability lawsuit did a good job in trying to make this case exempt from ERISA. Let’s take a closer look to understand why the court found that the disability plan fell under the ERISA statute and why they ruled that his bad faith allegation was dismissed. .
FAQ | ERISA Information:
Can my disability insurance policy be exempt from ERISA?
One of the first things our disability insurance attorneys will do with every disability claim is to determine whether or not the disability insurance policy is governed by ERISA. The analysis to determine if a disability plan is exempt from ERISA is complicated when a disability claimant received their policy through their employer. If you purchased your disability policy from an insurance agent or through an organization that is not your employer, then your disability policy is Exempt. If you are a government or church employee, then your disability plan is exempt from ERISA.
Disability Blog & Cases:
Disability insurance companies challenge heart disease disability insurance claims
According to the American Heart Association, one out of three, or approximately 81 million Americans have heart disease. In 1963 Congress proclaimed February as “American Heart Month” in order to raise awareness and fight the battle against heart disease. Millions of Americans each year are unable to work as a result of heart disease and are forced to file for either disability insurance benefits or social security disability benefits. Heart disease, also known as cardiovascular disease, includes high blood pressure, coronary heart disease, stroke, heart failure, and congenital heart defects. More than 5.8 million Americans have heart failure. Disability lawyer firm Dell & Schaefer participates each year in multiple events to help raise funds to battle heart disease.