There has been a growing volume of litigation relating to disability benefit claims brought by former professional football players. A recent example is the ruling issued by a federal court in California in Dimry v. Bert Bell/Pete Rozelle NFL Player Retirement Plan, 2020 WL 5526607 (N.D. Cal., Sept. 15). This ruling was the second time the […]
Courts are often stymied by how to conclude Employee Retirement Income Security Act benefit claim litigation, but not U.S. District Judge Fernando Olguin of the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California. In Tam v. First Unum Life Insurance Co. on Sept. 30,[1] the court decisively ruled for the plaintiff, Sandra Tam, in […]
Among the challenges presented by spasmodic dysphonia (SD), qualifying for disability benefits can be both difficult and frustrating. The process is complex, confusing, and extremely difficult to navigate without the assistance of an experienced attorney. Yet despite these challenges, both the Social Security Administration and private disability insurers recognize the impact of SD on the […]
How should federal courts conduct a de novo review of Employee Retirement Income Security Act benefit claims? One approach was delineated by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit in 2009 in Krolnik v. Prudential Insurance Company of America.[1] There, the court pronounced the phrase “de novo review” as “misleading” and explained the de novo review standard […]
The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act[1] made a number of significant changes to health insurance coverage in the U.S. One of the most important provisions of the law, which is also known as Obamacare, was a requirement that patients whose benefits are denied are entitled to independent external review. The implementing regulation[2] requires that […]
This month marks thirtieth anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (“ADA”), 42 U.S.C. § 12101 et seq., a landmark piece of civil rights legislation that prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability. The ADA requires that people with disabilities be granted equal access to employment, public services, and public accommodations. […]