Most people don’t think about their disability benefits until they need some kind of financial support. It is often only after a diagnosis of a major malady or an unexpected injury that people need to explore the details of their long-term disability insurance coverage. Employers offer workers in a variety of professions benefits that may include disability insurance. Long-term disability insurance helps replace wages people cannot earn due to disabling medical conditions. Such benefits play a crucial role in someone's financial stability, and they are subject to certain federal regulations. T ..read more

Determining whether you need private disability insurance involves assessing your current financial situation, your employment circumstances and the adequacy of any existing coverage you may have.  Disability insurance is designed to replace a portion of your income if you become unable to work due to illness or injury. It's an important safety net that can help you meet your financial obligations if you develop significant health challenges.  Assess your current financial responsibilities Start by evaluating your financial obligations. Consider your monthly expenses, including mortg ..read more

The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) was a groundbreaking piece of legislation when federal lawmakers first enacted it. It helped protect workers who depended on resources provided by their employers for times of financial vulnerability, such as their retirement years. There have been changes to the law over the years, as well as rulings by the courts, that have helped expand on the protections that ERISA offers employees who depend on benefits provided by an employer for certain key needs, including long-term disability coverage. Contrary to what the name implies, ERISA ..read more

Navigating the complexities of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) can be challenging. This federal law, enacted to protect employee rights concerning health and pension plans in private industry often raises questions about the deductibility of attorney fees and expenses from ERISA claims. The matter of attorney fees in ERISA claims hinges on specific legal provisions and court interpretations. Generally, ERISA itself doesn’t explicitly provide for the recovery of attorney fees by plan participants or beneficiaries. Over the years, courts have developed legal precedents that a ..read more

Long-term disability benefits are often the only thing standing between an individual with major medical challenges and financial devastation. The average person doesn't have much in savings, and most families accustomed to multiple income streams struggle to adjust when one adult can't work. Long-term disability insurance coverage can better replace someone's wages than state benefits that offer very limited monthly payments. Private long-term disability insurance can potentially help even high earners maintain their standard of living when health challenges leave them unable to return to wor ..read more

Many people cannot afford private short-term disability insurance on their own. Such policies are often very expensive. They may rely on coverage provided as part of a comprehensive benefit package from an employer instead. The Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) applies to not just pensions and retirement funds but also insurance coverage provided as an employment benefit. It is often more cost-effective for companies to purchase multiple short-term disability policies for employees than it would be for workers to buy the same coverage on their own. Private short-term disa ..read more

If you work in a noisy environment, it's essential to be aware of the risks associated with long-term exposure to high decibel levels. Prolonged exposure can lead to work-related hearing loss. It's not just construction workers or factory employees who are at risk. Many professions expose workers to damaging noise levels. Work-related hearing loss usually doesn't happen overnight. Instead, it's a gradual process. Loud machinery, constant background noise or even short bursts of deafening sounds can contribute to hearing impairment over time. The damage typically starts with difficulty hearing ..read more

The Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) is a law that can help protect people who seek benefits through their employers. It's critical to complete all the necessary steps when submitting an ERISA claim. If not, you could miss out on necessary disability and health insurance benefits. It’s possible to make a claim without too much difficulty with relevant information in advance. Unfortunately, a lot of employees lack enough knowledge, which undermines their claims. You should be aware of the following ERISA claim misconceptions before filing a claim. Myth 1: The ERISA claim process ..read more

Some disabilities are physical in nature, and they have very little cognitive impact. An example of this could be if someone has experienced a spinal cord injury (SCI), and they are now paralyzed from the waist down. They may still have the same personality and intellectual abilities, but they have lost motor skills as a result of their disability. But there are other types of disabilities that may not have the same physical impact, but which can have a major cognitive impact. To determine the full scope of this type of disability, neuropsychological evaluations may be necessary. What will the ..read more

Knee injuries are more than just painful interruptions. They can significantly alter the course of one's life. For some individuals, what begins as a seemingly minor injury can evolve into a long-term disability, making daily tasks and work nearly impossible. The importance of our knees in daily movements is often understated. They play a pivotal role in our mobility, from simple tasks like walking and bending to more intense activities like lifting and running. When knee injuries strike, the repercussions can be profound. Not all knee injuries are the same Knee injuries can range from mild sp ..read more