Long Term Disability

Have you been denied Long-Term Disability (LTD) benefits? If you were denied, then you need an attorney experienced in LTD litigation. Most LTD policies have a definition of disability which is different then the common definition of disability. Their definition of disability is "You are not disabled." The LTD carrier will take away your benefits if you do not fight for them. Contact us immediately if you are fighting the LTD carrier. If you appeal and you lose, it may be too late to win you benefits back.

Group & Private Long-Term Disability

When you just can't go to work anymore, count on your disability insurance lawyer to secure the benefits you deserve. Some individuals who become too disabled to work are fortunate enough to have long term disability insurance.

There are several types of long term disability insurance plans. One is "individual disability" insurance. Ordinarily this is a policy you may have purchased privately through your own insurance agent. Typically these policies pay a defined benefit amount, following a "waiting period" if you can prove you are disabled within the definition provided in the policy.

The more common type of long term disability is "Group Long Term Disability," which is usually provided as part of a benefit package you may have through your job. At one time it was common to find these "LTD" plans in only the white collar sector but today, many blue collar workers and union workers are also covered. In these types of plans, either the cost of the insurance is paid solely by the employee through payroll deductions, or the employer picks up the tab, or both the employer and the worker share in the cost. Benefits paid to disabled employees are taxable to the same extent as the employer's contribution. So, if your employer paid half of the monthly premium and you paid half, any benefits received would only be fifty percent (50%) taxable.


It's important to receive competent assistance as soon as you become disabled, in order to maximize the benefits you receive from your group long term disability package. In recent years, it has become increasingly more difficult to obtain LTD benefits, particularly "Group LTD" benefits. And, it's also becoming harder to stay on benefits, if you do get them. Unfortunately, more and more people are finding it necessary to secure the assistance of attorneys, not only with appealing denials of benefits, but in filing their applications correctly, so that appeals are unnecessary. Olinsky & Shurtliff can help you avoid the cost, delay, and suffering that may result from repeated unsuccessful attempts to claim disability insurance without competent legal advice.

Our LTD Department is headed by Howard Olinsky, a seasoned litigator with many years of experience in helping our clients secure LTD benefits. Mr. Olinsky and his department handle claims from the initial application, through any administrative appeals and in further appeals to the Courts, including the United States Court of Appeals.


As with the other types of cases we handle, the best time to get legal help is before you file your disability insurance claim. Mr. Olinsky has dealt with almost every LTD carrier. He knows how policy provisions are interpreted and what evidence is needed to win LTD claims. He understands insurance companies' disability claims handling procedures and the positions they take in litigation. He counsels his clients on what will occur in claims and informs them about what to expect in litigation. His realistic case evaluations enable his clients to make well-informed decisions about their cases. Mr. Olinsky stays current in the rapidly advancing developments in this area of law. He has prepared many successful claims for a wide variety of clients including doctors, teachers, executives, and business people.