Reliance Standard

Bartolic Law helped a client suffering from lumbar radiculopathy who performed physically demanding work. Reliance terminated long-term disability benefits contending the client could perform sedentary work in other occupations. Using a two-pronged approach, we both demonstrated the client could not perform his prior work or seated work physically, and we used vocational evidence to show the only occupations Reliance Standard identified as meeting the earnings qualifier were ones that had not existed in the American economy for decades. As a result, Reliance Standard agreed to maintain our client’s long-term disability payments. When a client’s parent got diagnosed with stage 4 Pancreatic Cancer, she had to stop working. Our client, the beneficiary of the life insurance policy, with the mother, called Reliance Standard, the life insurer, to ask how the insured could maintain coverage given the diagnosis and prognosis. The agent advised them to apply for waiver of premiums, though the deadline to do so had lapsed, but the right to unconditionally convert to individual coverage had not yet expired. After the insured received notice Reliance Standard denied the application for waiver, she tried to convert but Reliance then contended it was too late to do so. But had they been told in the first phone call about the right to convert, coverage would have been maintained. Notwithstanding Reliance Standard’s dispute regarding coverage, we were able to recover for the client. Reliance Standard claims management can be challenging, and Bartolic Law has helped many navigate through its hurdles. Call us to see how we can help you.