When ERISA was passed in the 1974, it established a set of minimum standards meant to protect individuals covered by health care and pension plans.

These standards include the following:

• Provide individuals with information about their coverage.
• Give individuals benefits like the right to sue.

With these protections in place, individuals have some guarantee that they will be treated fairly.

If you believe your that ERISA protections have been violated, contact the Indiana ERISA lawyer of the Charles D. Hankey Law Office, P.C., at 800-520-3633.

After an injury, many people wonder when is the right time to apply for long-term disability benefits.

It is important to apply for long term disability benefits as soon as possible after an injury. This is because it can take months, and in some cases, even years, to complete the entire process and begin receiving payments. Additionally, if your claim is denied, you may be forced to wait even longer as your appeal is processed. When applying for long-term disability benefits, you may apply either through Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) or through Supplemental Security Income (SSI).

To learn more about the process of applying for long-term disability insurance and benefits, contact the Indiana long-term disability attorneys of the Law Office of Charles D. Hankey at 800-520-3633.

Long-term disability coverage can be obtained in a variety of ways. Individuals may obtain long-term disability coverage through individual plans or group plans.

Group plans may be offered through an employer or professional organization. However, individuals may have trouble receiving long-term disability coverage if they have received treatment for a serious medical condition in the past 10 years.

If you or anyone you know has had legal difficulties obtaining long-term disability coverage, contact the Indiana long-term disability attorneys of the Charles D. Hankey Law Office, P.C., at 800-520-3633.

When individuals file claims for long-term disability benefits, the insurance company will review the claim and make a decision. If the insurance company denies the claim, then individuals with long-term disabilities have a number of options.

One, they could send a letter or contact their insurance provider to contest the decision. Two, they can obtain the insurance file from the insurance provider to use as evidence for a possible appeal. And three, they could hire an attorney who could provide experienced legal representation for their claim.

If you or anyone you know has had problems with your long-term disability claim, contact the Indiana long-term disability filing attorneys of Charles D. Hankey Law Office, P.C., at 800-520-3633.

A case filed against insurance company Unum will proceed to a trial by jury after Unum’s motion for summary judgment, a motion that would remove a full jury from the trial.

The defendant claimed that the plaintiff, the policy-holder, did not heed their provisions that included the plaintiff seeking appropriate medical care before drawing on his policy. The plaintiff, in return, provided that his condition, bilateral post traumatic carpal tunnel syndromes, did not allow him to work, therefore engaging his policies with Unum. Knowing his responsibility to seek medical care, he consulted a physician, who told him that, given his health, corrective surgery was not the appropriate option.

The court ruled that, although corrective surgery was possible, if the plaintiff’s physician refused the surgery due to possible complications, the policy language did not permit a reconditioning of the plaintiff’s eligibility to receive benefits. The court added that opinions concerning the physician’s role are not suitable for a trial without a jury.

Knowing your legal rights is the best measure to getting what compensation you could be eligible for. If you or someone you love needs legal advice on how to deal with long-term disability insurance, contact the Indiana disability litigation lawyers at the Charles D. Hankey Law Office, P.C., by calling 800-520-3633 today.

More than 100 million workers in the United States are without private disability insurance and 70 percent of workers in the private sector have no long-term disability insurance through their jobs.

Long-term disability insurance would proved a regular paycheck if an employee became either permanently or temporarily unable to work. “Without disability insurance, most people would face devastating financial consequences if they were to suffer a disabling injury or illness,” said Marvin Feldman, president and CEO of Life Foundation.

A new survey by the insurance education organization shows that 84 percent of Americans strongly agree they should insure their cars, and 80 percent feel it is imperative to have homeowner’s insurance, but only 48 percent believe that it is important to have disability insurance if they have a job.

According to the United States Census Bureau, about one in five Americans will become disabled for a year or more before the age of 65.

For sound legal advice and assistance on how we can help you recover the disability compensation that you deserve, contact the Indiana long-term disability lawyers at the Charles D. Hankey Law Office, P.C., today by calling 800-520-3633.

When individuals change jobs, there are certain laws in place to protect their health insurance coverage for a certain period of time. One such law is the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act.

HIPAA protects the health insurance coverage for workers and their families when the workers change or lose jobs. This means that they can retain their health insurance coverage for a certain period of time until they get another job or join another plan.

If you or anyone you know has questions about a HIPAA claim, contact the Indiana HIPAA lawyers of Charles D. Hankey Law Office, P.C., at 800-520-3633.