When life throws you a curveball with a disabling condition, wondering who will pay your bills should not be a priority. Your finances should not precede your recovery. Often, when a long-term disabling condition hits your household, finances become an unavoidable cause of concern and anxiety. However, if you have a long-term disability policy, you […]
Many employees opt into long-term disability insurance expecting protection if illness or injury keeps them from working. While these plans may seem fair in theory, the claims process can be a very different story. One common obstacle is a denial based on a so-called independent medical examination (IME) that favors the insurer’s position. The good […]
If a serious illness or injury stops you from working, you will likely have a lot on your mind, including concerns about how to pay your bills. Disability insurance benefits can help fill the gap and sustain you financially in those circumstances. Please note that not all disability policies work the same way. One of […]
Many people believe that a divorce automatically cuts off a former spouse’s right to life insurance benefits. That belief often turns out to be wrong. When federal law governs a policy, an ex-spouse may still receive the proceeds even if a divorce decree says otherwise. These situations frequently arise in a life insurance divorce beneficiary […]
Receiving court papers saying you are involved in a lawsuit with a life insurance company can feel alarming—especially when you are grieving a loved one. Usually, however, this type of lawsuit does not accuse you of wrongdoing. Instead, it often involves a life insurance interpleader, a legal procedure insurance companies use when more than one […]
ERISA Claim Questions? Contact ERISA attorney John Peace to schedule a free, fully confidential review of your case: (864) 485-6958 Many people have never heard of ERISA. If everything is going smoothly with your benefits, you have little reason to. But if you’ve started having trouble accessing your employee group benefits, ERISA might be your […]
Claim compensation if someone’s negligence caused your injury. Calculate compensatory damages by adding actual and estimated costs, including medical bills, lost wages, and property damage. Each case is unique, so the compensation amount depends on your specific circumstances. Key Takeaways Two Categories of Compensatory Damages: Economic damages are objectively verifiable monetary losses (medical costs, lost […]
The federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) regulates most retirement and health plans private employers offer employees. However, not every employee welfare plan falls under ERISA’s purview. Governmental entities, churches for their employees, and plans maintained solely for workers' compensation, unemployment, or disability laws are generally not covered by ERISA regulations. ERISA does not […]
South Carolina employees sometimes lose jobs shortly before their job-related benefits vest. Many wonder whether the employer acted legally. Often, the answer is no, according to ERISA Section 510. Fired before vesting problems arise when an employer fires or punishes an employee because the worker used, tried to use, or became eligible for workplace benefits. […]
The first red flag rarely looks dramatic. You may notice a line on your retirement statement that wasn't there before, or you might hear rumors about mismatched investment returns. People usually begin searching for answers about their ERISA accounts long before they realize their situation may match the criteria for an ERISA 401(k) Excessive Fee […]