ProPublica recently filed a very well sourced article on the lengths health insurers will take to deny coverage in order to preserve profits. https://www.propublica.org/article/priority-health-michigan-cart-insurance-vanpatten-denials When a claim is denied you as the claimant have certain rights. https://www.propublica.org/article/find-out-why-health-insurance-claim-denied As the article explains this includes the right to obtain a copy of the…
By Darren K. Legato, Serafini, Michalowski, Derkacz & Associates, PC Michigan Courts have spent an exorbitant amount of time discussing the issue of “Domicile” versus “Residency,” though it seems almost all of it recently has centered around claims for Personal Protection Insurance (“PIP”) benefits and the order of priority for payment…
SMDA was recently able to help a disabled dentist recover on his individual disability insurance policy after his claim for total disability benefits was denied. The LTD insurer had denied his claim when it discovered that he had opened a small tap room/eatery. SMDA was able to convince the disability…
SMDA was contacted by a physician to evaluate a repayment request by a well known Long Term Disability Insurer. The doctor had been diagnosed with a medical condition which interfered with the surgical aspects of his practice. The disability insurer convinced the doctor that he was only residually disabled and…
NPR radio released a chilling view into the future of Michigan car crash victims. Click the link above to read the article.
The attorneys at SMDA were recently able to get Cigna (Life Insurance Company of North America) to overturn the claim denial decision for Long Term Disability insurance benefits for a client who had developed significant and progressive cognitive problems. The client underwent neuropsychiatric testing which confirmed a number of impairments…
SMDA was recently able to get Long Term Disability insurance benefits reinstated for a client who had developed significant orthopedic spine problems. The client had last worked at a sedentary job for an engineering firm. The Disability insurance company (Reliance Standard) had initially approved and paid benefits for more than…
SMDA was recently able to convince a Long Term Disability Insurer to settle a challenging claim brought by a local public school teacher. Long Term Disability insurance claims for public school teachers (or other public school employees) are somewhat unique because these claims are not governed by the Employee Retirement…
SMDA was hired by a physician to try and convince a disability insurance company to overturn its decision to terminate their claim for disability benefits. The client had been working as an Emergency Department physician at a rural hospital when they developed a very unusual neurological condition that resulted in…
SMDA was able to negotiate a favorable settlement for a Deloitte manager’s claim for Permanent and Total Disability benefits after a tortuous claim process. The injured client retained SMDA after an unsuccessful application for benefits. Her disability benefit claim was significantly hampered because she waited several years to hire a…