• Auto Accident
• Construction Accident
• Dog Bite
• Drunk Drivers
• Motorcycle Accidents
• Sexual Harassment
• Slip and Fall
• Workers' Compensation
• Wrongful Death
• Hospital Negligence
• Laser Eye Surgery

For a complete list of practice areas, please click here.

Disability Claims | Private Policy

Individual disability policies have the advantage of permitting you to ask for State law punitive damages for bad faith acts of the insurance company. In situations where the insurance company has breached its duty of good faith in dealing with you and denying obviously deserved benefits, we may be able to claim punitive damages, statutory penalties, costs, interest and attorney fees. Since most individual policies are sold to high earners and provide large monthly benefits to successful claimants, bad faith damage awards can cost the insurance company a lot of money. On the other hand, because a lot of money may be at stake, insurance companies carefully investigate individual disability policy claims - this may include surveillance by a private investigator and the use of "independent" medical examinations to contest your claim. The world of private disability insurance benefits is confusing and difficult to handle, so you need an experienced law firm to handle your claim.

Each of the following provisions must be met in order to claim private policy damages:

• there must be no contribution made by the employer or employee organization; and
• participation in the insurance plan must be completely voluntary; and
• the function of the employer must be limited to collecting premiums through payroll deduction or publicizing the program without endorsing it; and
• the employer or employee organization must not receive any payments - other than for actual administrative costs - in connection with the insurance program

The Law Office of Piercy J. Stakelum has the experience and expertise necessary to represent you during any stage of a claim for disability benefits. Call The Law Office of Piercy J. Stakelum today for a free evaluation of your claim for disability benefits.