Your disability claim was denied.
The insurance company is counting on you to accept it.
ERISA gives you federal rights to challenge that denial. This page connects you with an attorney who handles these cases on contingency — nothing out of pocket unless they recover.
Is this the right page?
This page is for people whose disability or long-term disability benefits were denied through:
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An employer’s group insurance plan ERISA applies. Federal law. Covers most employer-sponsored short-term and long-term disability plans.
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A private disability policy you purchased individually State insurance law applies. Different body of law — same page, same attorney referral.
Federal deadline
ERISA sets a 180-day window for administrative appeals from the date of the denial notice. The statute is federal. It applies in every state regardless of what your denial letter says.
If your denial was through Social Security (SSDI), this is not the right page. Visit ssa.gov.
What the law actually says
ERISA §503 requires every written denial to include all of the following.
- The specific reason for the denial — not a general reference to policy exclusions. The exact reason, in writing.
- The specific plan provision relied on — the exact section of the plan document the insurer used to deny the claim.
- A description of what additional information is needed and why — if the denial is based on missing information, the statute requires them to identify it.
- A description of the plan’s review procedure — your right to appeal and how to exercise it must be in the denial letter.
Insurance companies write these denials to look final. Under ERISA, a denial is the beginning of a process, not the end of one.
Connect with an attorney
Disability attorneys take these cases on contingency. You pay nothing upfront. If benefits are recovered, the attorney fee comes from that recovery.
This page connects you with disability attorneys who handle ERISA and private policy denials nationwide. Free case review. No fee unless they recover.
What to have ready
Before the call, gather these documents. The review will be more useful if you have them in front of you.
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Your denial letter
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Your Summary Plan Description (SPD) HR can provide this if you don’t have it. It describes your plan’s terms and benefits.
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The date your benefits were denied or terminated
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Any appeal correspondence already filed