The Jones Act provides maritime workers with special avenues of recovery and other special protections. In passing the Jones Act, Congress recognized that working on a vessel is an unusually dangerous job than can lead to serious disability and injury. Some maritime workers will not be considered Jones Act seamen by courts, but their claims will still be governed by …
Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) insurance is an important planning tool families use to protect against the consequences of the accidental death of a loved one. In addition, these policies often cover loss of a limb, hearing, or vision due to accident, losses which can seriously affect earning capacity. These policies can be sold by themselves or as a rider …
Long-term disability insurance is often offered as part of an employee benefit package. Some people purchase long-term disability coverage directly from insurance companies or through an insurance broker. Long-term disability policies sponsored by a private employer are governed by a federal law called the Employee Retirment Income Security Act (“ERISA”). If a policy issued in Louisiana is purchased by an …
It can be extremely traumatic and stressful when a loved one passes due to the negligence of someone else. Often, bills start piling up, and if the deceased provided financial support to dependents or other family members, a family’s financial future could be a stake. It is important to act quickly to hold the negligent party and its insurer responsible, …
If a loved one dies due to the negligence of another person, company, or organization in Louisiana, it is important to quickly contact a qualified personal injury and wrongful death attorney. Louisiana has strict deadlines for the filing of legal actions (generally one year from the date of the death), and it can often take a significant amount of time …
The U.S. Court of Appeal for the Eleventh Circuit recently reversed the decision of a federal district court affirming Unum Life Insurance Company of America’s (“Unum”) decision to terminate a former pharmacist’s long-term disability benefits. The plaintiff beneficiary in the case was employed as a pharmacist from 1996 until 2016, when she suffered an accident at work that injured her …
In a recent decision dated May 25, 2022, Judge Brian A. Jackson of the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana entered a default judgment in favor of Plaintiff Baton Rouge Sheet Metal Workers’ Union #21 Pension Fund in a suit against a woman who accepted pension funds not owed to her. Judge Jackson is an appointee of …
Whether you live in New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Houma, Thibodaux, or the communities of Mandeville, Covington, or Abita Spring north of Lake Ponchartrain, The Pellegrin Firm, LLC, located in Metairie, Louisiana, is convenient to you. The Pellegrin Firm is located at 3500 North Hullen Street, Suite 17D, Metairie, Louisiana, but can handle cases long-term disability cases all over the state …
It is extremely frustrating and stress-inducing to receive a letter in the mail terminating or denying long-term disability benefits. People with long-term disability insurance, either through an employer-provided policy or a privately purchased policy, rely on funds being available if they are hurt and cannot work. The important thing to know is that insurance companies do sometimes change their minds …
In a recent case, Trahan v. United of Omaha Life Insurance Co., No. 2:21-CV-02281, 2022 WL 710436 (W.D. La. Mar. 9, 2022), the plaintiff alleged that he was disabled due to high blood pressure and anxiety. He filed a claim with his employer’s disability insurer only to have the claim denied. The plaintiff alleged that his high blood pressure and …