Chronic Fatigue Sufferers in England Prefer Lyme Disease Diagnosis
The stigma surrounding Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is not limited to disability insurance companies.
Justin C. Frankel and Jason A. Newfield are Named to the New York Metro Super Lawyers 2019 List
Partners Justin C. Frankel and Jason A. Newfield have been selected to the New York Metro Super Lawyers list as two of the top New York metro area lawyers for 2019. Both Mr. Frankel and Mr. Newfield were named Super Lawyers from 2013 – 2019, and Mr. Frankel was selected in 2011. Each year, Super […]
Aetna Is Defeated In First Circuit On Arbitrary And Capricious Denial Of Claim
Frankel & Newfield has represented more than a few Aetna disability insurance claimants where the court has noted the conflict of a company that serves as reviewer and payor of claims. In this case, Aetna suffered defeat at the First Circuit Court of Appeals, where it was the Appellant, seeking to have the Circuit Court […]
Social Media Posts Become Even More Dangerous for Insurance Claimants
We have shared several times in the past few years about the perils of social media for disability claimants. But the issue of how insurance companies are utilizing social media posts has taken a new turn, and there is reason to be concerned. Earlier this year, the New York State Department of Financial Services, the […]
Cigna Gets a Very Public Airing of How It Treats Long-Term Disability Claimants
We want to recognize two people who took a big risk to expose how Cigna, a large disability insurance company, treats its policyowners: Glenn Clarke, who is disabled, and his attorney, our colleague and friend Michael Bartolic. Glenn Clarke has a cardiac condition that his doctors say will kill him if he returns to his […]
Aetna Ordered To Trial In Connecticut Federal Court On ERISA Disability Case
A Federal Judge in Connecticut has ordered Aetna to trial on a denial of group long term disability insurance claim, under ERISA. The Court denied the parties’ motions for summary judgment, and has stated that “A trial will be scheduled for the earliest date.” The parties submitted competing reports from experts – Aetna relying upon […]
Summer is Lyme Season – What That Means for Disability Claims
A mild winter is usually followed by an increase in the number of ticks in the spring and summer. This summer, the number of ticks that carry several disease have increased, as have the number of ticks infected with diseases that threaten humans. In addition to Lyme, people need to know about the Powassan virus, […]
We Overturn Reliance’s Termination of Disability Benefits for Former Registered Nurse at Highly Regarded Hospital in New York
Our client, a 56-year old Registered Nurse at one of the top 25 ranked best hospitals in New York State, retained the services of our firm to fight for her wrongfully terminated disability claim – after Reliance Standard found her disabled for the past 5 years and paid her benefits. Our client was diagnosed with […]
FDA Approves Migraine Drug as First Cluster Headache Treatment
Our clients include people who are disabled by severe migraine headaches, so we are pleased to see this news item that the FDA has approved a drug that treats this condition. As reported in NBC News, cluster headaches impact younger men, and one of the problems, in addition to the pain and frustration of the […]
What Will Happen to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Population Now that CFS Advisory Committee has Dissolved?
As a four-year member of the Chronic Fatigue Syndrome Advisory Committee, a federal committee which advised the US Department of Health and Human Services regarding Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, I have been following the dismantling of this advisory committee. With no prior notice to either committee members or the public, the Department of Health and Human Services allowed the charter of the CFS Advisory Committee to expire. This occurred in September 2018, and there has been little, if any progress in re-starting the committee.
