Blogs
What is a Functional Capacity Evaluation (FCE)?
A functional capacity evaluation (FCE) is a set of tests that measure an individual’s physical ability to function in different areas. Disability claims administrators often...
What are Plan Administrators and What Do They Do?
Under 29 CFR § 2510.3-16, a plan administrator is a person designated by the terms of the instrument under which a benefits plan is operated....
Bicycle Accidents in San Diego: Common Causes and Who Is Liable
Most bicycle accidents in San Diego stem from three specific categories of conflict: 1) driver navigational errors (typically turning across a cyclist’s path) 2) infrastructure...
What is a Mental Limitation in a Long-Term Disability Plan?
Long-term disability claims based on mental illness are some of the most common types of claims. Nonetheless, it is quite common for long-term disability insurance...
Medical Evidence Necessary to Substantiate a Long-Term Disability Claim
The specific type of medical evidence that you need to substantiate a long-term disability claim will vary somewhat according to the nature of your disabling...
California Leads Nation in Annual Number of Bicyclist Fatalities
According to the most recent statistics available from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), California had the highest annual number of bicyclist fatalities in...
The Facts About Long-Term Disability Insurance Buy-Outs
Whether you have purchased a long-term disability policy directly from an insurance company or you have coverage under an ERISA-governed policy by your employer, you...
When Can I Present New Medical Evidence in Appealing a Denial of Long-Term Disability Benefits?
When you file a claim for long-term disability benefits from your employer-sponsored benefits plan, it may take some time before you receive a decision. Plans...
Common Bike Accident Injuries in California
Whether caused by an inattentive or distracted driver, poor road conditions, or a driver who runs a stoplight, the injuries sustained by a bicyclist in...
What is the Exhaustion of Administrative Remedies for the Purposes of ERISA?
Most long-term disability plans governed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) provide that claimants must exhaust their administrative remedies prior to...
Will I Automatically Get My Long-Term Disability Benefits if I Was Awarded Social Security Disability Benefits?
Many ERISA-governed long-term disability benefits plans require that individuals who file a claim for disability benefits also seek benefits through any other available source, including...
What Are Independent Medical Examinations (IMEs)?
When individuals apply for long-term disability benefits from their employer-sponsored and ERISA-governed disability plans, insurers must make a determination as to whether they meet the...