Dedicated New York Life Insurance Lawyers For Appeals, Denials and Lawsuits

Did New York Life Group Long-Term Disability Insurance Deny Your Claim?

New York Life is a multi-billion dollar insurance company that primarily sells individual and group life, disability, and supplemental insurance policies. Employees, and others associated with organizations that purchase group disability insurance coverage from New York Life, have every legal right to expect that the company will honor its obligations and pay benefits when covered individuals suffer disabling injuries or illnesses. Our New York Life Group Insurance Claim Attorney understands these insurance companies and how to deal with them and what benefits they offer.

Unfortunately getting paid does not always happen. Sometimes, a worker who has a valid group long-term disability claim covered by a group policy issued by New York Life gets push-back from the company when seeking their benefits. New York Life might wrongfully deny a valid claim altogether, or it may delay paying causing late payment charges, stained credit or bankruptcy.

It is illegal for New York Life to wrongfully deny or fight valid group disability insurance claims. Covered workers who have the misfortune of running up against resistance from New York Life often need the help of an experienced group long-term disability claims law firm to obtain their rightful benefits.

DarrasLaw is America’s top disability firm who daily defends those denied their benefits.

About New York Life Group Long-term Disability Insurance

Despite the New York in its name, New York Life issues group long-term disability insurance policies to companies and organizations nationwide, including employers, unions, and “affinity groups” (organized groups of people who share a common characteristic, such as military veterans groups, or school alumni associations). These policies cover group members for disability from injuries or illnesses. Their purpose is to provide a financial backstop to covered individuals who lose their ability to work and earn an income because of a disabling health condition or injury.

The group long-term disability insurance benefits New York Life sells represents a lifeline for covered disabled individuals. Without those long-term group benefits, people covered by a New York Life group long-term disability insurance policy may not have enough money to pay for care, food, or living expenses. Policy holders count on New York Life to honor its legal and contractual obligations to pay long-term group disability benefits when benefits are due.

About Wrongful New York Life Group Long-Term Disability Insurance Claim Denials

In the event of an injury or illness that puts someone out of work and unable to earn a living, New York Life group long-term disability insurance policies should pay benefits quickly and promptly once the injured or ill person makes a valid claim. That is what should happen.

Like any insurance company, New York Life has a strong reason not to pay full, prompt long-term group disability benefits. Unfortunately insurance companies make a profit by holding on to money, not by paying it out.

Choose Our New York Life Group Insurance Claim Attorney To Defend You

Too often insurance companies take their need to investigate and confirm the validity of a claim further than necessary. Instead of doing an accurate check of a claim, they cross the line into wrongfully denying valid claims just to save a few dollars – leaving covered individuals in desperate financial straits.

Throughout the United States, it is illegal for any insurance company to wrongfully deny all or part of a valid claim. No matter where you live, the laws of your state prevent New York Life, and any other group long-term disability insurance company, from saying no when you present that company with compelling medical evidence and proof of your legal right to receive group long-term disability benefits.

Meet Our New York Life Disability Attorneys

Frank N. Darras, Founding Partner

• Experience: For more than 30 years, Frank N. Darras has focused exclusively on long-term disability and insurance litigation, including high-stakes disputes against New York Life.
• Track Record: He and his firm have recovered nearly $1 billion in wrongfully delayed and denied insurance benefits for policyholders nationwide.
• Recognition: Named to Lawdragon’s Top 500 Lawyers in America for 18 consecutive years and listed in Best Lawyers in America since 2006, Mr. Darras is widely regarded as a leading authority on ERISA and disability insurance law.

Susan B. Grabarsky, Senior Trial Attorney

• Experience: Ms. Grabarsky represents both individual policyholders and employee groups in complex disability disputes. Her prior experience as an insurance cost-containment analyst provides unique insight into how carriers like New York Life evaluate and deny claims.
• Approach: She leverages her understanding of insurer review tactics to strategically challenge denials and push for full payment of valid benefits.
• Reputation: Known for meticulous preparation and assertive advocacy, she has built a strong record confronting unfair disability practices.

Heather Gardner, Senior Associate

• Experience: Heather Gardner concentrates on ERISA-governed and individual disability appeals involving New York Life and other national carriers.
• Role in Litigation: Working closely with Frank Darras, she helps develop comprehensive administrative records and appellate strategies designed to withstand federal court scrutiny.
• Professional Strength: She is respected for her precision in analyzing policy language and dismantling complex denial rationales.

Phillip S. Bather, Associate Attorney

• Experience: Phillip S. Bather focuses on ERISA litigation and insurance bad-faith disputes, assisting clients through intake, claim development, and administrative appeals.
• Case Strategy: He works to assemble compelling evidentiary records aimed at reversing unjust denials and positioning cases for successful litigation when necessary.
• Client Commitment: Recognized for his responsiveness and detail-oriented advocacy, he supports claimants facing aggressive insurer resistance.

Trusted Legal Credentials

• AV Preeminent® Rating – Martindale-Hubbell
• Best Lawyers in America – Disability Law
• Lawdragon 500 Leading Plaintiff Lawyers

These distinctions reflect decades of focused experience, ethical representation, and consistent results in complex disability insurance litigation.

How an Award-winning Group Long-Term Disability Insurance Claim Attorney at DarrasLaw Can Help

Of course, most people would prefer not to bother with a federal ERISA disability lawsuit. After paying years of benefits, the insured rightfully wants their long-term group benefits paid timely and fairly.

An experienced group long-term disability insurance attorney at DarrasLaw can help them by:

1. Gathering and presenting all of the medical, occupational, vocational and financial evidence you need to support a successful claim, administrative appeal, or federal ERISA lawsuit.

One of the many reasons insurance companies like New York Life often cite (when wrongfully denying all or part of a claim) is that the applicant did not supply enough information to prove they have a legal right to long-term group benefits. At DarrasLaw, our experienced group long-term disability insurance lawyers know exactly what kind of information insurance companies need to substantiate a claim. Our award winning attorneys know how to obtain that proper supportive information, and how to present it to the insurance company or to a court when filing an initial claim application, administrative appeal, or lawsuit in Federal ERISA court for a wrongful claim denial.

2. Negotiating with insurance companies in terms they understand.

Our group long-term disability attorneys know the ins-and-outs of negotiating with gigantic insurance companies like New York Life to convince them to pay the full amount of a claim. Lawyers with litigation and claim experience in group long-term disability matters like ours speak the language of insurance coverage and insurance laws. DarrasLaw know the insured’s legal rights and just how much pressure to apply to the insurance companies to assist in getting a claim paid in full, properly an fairly.

3. Representing disabled insureds in administrative appeals and federal ERISA lawsuits.

Beneficiaries of New York Life group long-term disability insurance policies have the legal rights to an administrative appeal and, when necessary, to take a dispute over a wrongful claim denial to federal court. However, they need experienced stellar legal representation in these proceedings. One misstep at the beginning of the administrative appeal process can doom a claim forever. From the moment an insurance carrier like New York Life wrongfully denies all or part of a claim, covered individuals need the guidance of the top-rated ERISA lawyers at DarrasLaw to make sure they present a full, complete, accurate case at every stage of their administrative appeal and federal ERISA lawsuit.

Real Results for Real Clients

Long-Term Disability Benefits Terminated After 12+ Years

After paying benefits for more than a decade, New York Life abruptly terminated a claimant’s long-term disability payments.

Our team conducted a comprehensive review of the administrative record, identified inconsistencies in the insurer’s medical review, and submitted a detailed appeal supported by updated physician documentation. New York Life reversed its denial and reinstated the claimant’s benefits.

Call Our Top-rated New York Life Group Insurance Claim Attorney

DarrasLaw is America’s top disability law firm representing people covered by group long-term disability insurance policies issued by New York Life and other large insurance companies. Our mission is to make sure those covered by group long-term disability get the benefits they need and deserve when an illness or injury leaves them out of work and unable to pay their bills.

The legal team at DarrasLaw has over 100 years of combined litigation and hard claim experience fighting and beating group long-term disability insurance companies like New York Life. Our founder, Frank N. Darras, and his law firms have recovered almost $1 billion in wrongfully delayed and denied insurance benefits.

Speak with an experienced group long-term disability lawyer and ERISA attorney at DarrasLaw today for a free case analysis and free policy review to see if we can help you recover the long-term group benefits you deserve from New York Life. We provide free disability insurance policy analysis and free insurance case consultations. Moreover, the top-rated individual disability lawyers and ERISA attorneys at DarrasLaw work on contingency. That means you pay nothing unless and until we prevail. We take the financial burden of the legal claim off of you and only collect a percentage of any settlement or judgment plus costs that we win for you after denial or appeal.

You can call us at 800-898-7299 or send us a message about your case.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Disclaimer: Case results, outcomes, and testimonials are not guarantees of future success.

Every claim is unique. This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For advice specific to your circumstances, contact one of our attorneys directly.