If you have an employer-sponsored benefit plan, it is likely governed by ERISA. ERISA stands for the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, which sets forth the requirements these plans must follow. However, the claims process is anything but fair in most cases. The larger insurance companies and other plan administrators have been working for years to develop strategies that help them deny benefit claims. If your claim was denied, you may be confused and frustrated as you are unsure of what to do next. It is important to contact anERISA lawyer in Philadelphia as soon as possible. With the help of The Garner Firm, you may get the full benefits to which you are entitled.
How Pennsylvania ERISA Claims Work
Under an employer-sponsored benefit plan, participants and their beneficiaries are entitled to a full and fair review of their claim for benefits. Because this does not always happen, you need to retain a Philadelphia ERISA lawyer who can make sure it will occur. Since the people who are reviewing employee benefits claims are often also the ones paying the claims, this creates a conflict of interest. This situation also creates the temptation for them to deny your claim outright since it will ultimately benefit their bottom line. If you received a denial of benefits, there are specific steps you must take in order to start the appeals process. Failure to handle things exactly as required could result in your appeal being denied outright. This means you could be facing a difficult time challenging the denial, or you could even be barred from challenging it at all. When you retain an ERISA lawyer in Philadelphia, you will get the benefit of an ERISA attorney who has over a decade of experience in handling appeals. You deserve someone on your side who is looking out for your best interests. You may not realize that the person who is reviewing your claim works for the entity who ultimately pays it. You only have 60-180 days, depending on the type of claim, to file your appeal, which is why it is so important that you contact an attorney as soon as possible. Failure to take any sort of action within the allotted time means your claim may be permanently denied.
ERISA Benefit Claims
Under ERISA, examples of some valid claims may include:
- Short-term disability (STD) benefits
- Long-term disability (LTD) benefits
- Accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D) benefits
- 401(k) benefits
- Health insurance benefits
- Pension benefits
- Life insurance benefits
- Other employee benefits
At The Garner Firm, we routinely represent clients who are employees, former employees, plan participants, beneficiaries, or executives in all aspects of ERISA law and the types of claims mentioned above.
Contact an ERISA Lawyer in Philadelphia Today
If you need assistance with an ERISA benefits claim, contact The Garner Firm today to schedule an initial consultation.