Practice Areas

DeHaan Busse has litigated long-term (permanent) disability benefits cases against many of the largest insurance companies in the disability field including: Aflac, Unum Provident Corporation and its subsidiaries; Metropolitan Life Insurance Company; New York Life Insurance Company; Equitable Life Assurance Society of the United States; First Reliance Standard Life Insurance Company; Hartford Life Insurance Company; Berkshire Life Insurance Company of America; Guardian Life Insurance Company of America; Sun Life Insurance & Annuity Company of New York; Reliance Standard Life Insurance Company; Aetna Life Insurance Company; and Life Insurance Company of North America, among many others.

We focus on:

  • Individual Disability Insurance Policies: A private insurance policy purchased by an individual which provides a monthly benefit if a disability renders them unable to work or reduces the amount they can work. These policies are governed by the law of the state in which they are issued.  If you are like most professionals or business owners, you probably have invested in am individual (private) disability insurance policy to secure your economic future in the event you suffer a debilitating physical or psychological illness or injury that makes it impossible for you to continue in your current occupation.  However, there is more to an individual disability policy than having enough protection; you also have to have the right protection.  The attorneys at DeHaan Busse LLP are available to you if you need to file a disability claim, or if you just need a disability attorney to review your policy.
  • Group Disability Insurance Policies: An insurance policy through a professional organization or other similar group which provides a monthly disability benefit. These policies are also governed by state law.
  • Long-Term Care Insurance Policies: In addition to providing “nursing home” benefits, these policies frequently provide a daily benefit to a disabled person.
  • Premium Waiver Benefits on Life Insurance Policies: Life insurance policies often continue a person’s coverage at no charge to the individual during periods of disability. The disabled individual has to notify the insurance carrier of the disability and apply for this benefit.
  • Business Overhead Policies: For most professionals in their own practices or business owners, Business Overhead Policies are a necessity. They cover your business expenses such as rent/mortgage, salaries, office equipment, etc., during the time of your disability.
  • Employer-Sponsored Benefit Plans: Employers often provide disability benefits beyond those required by New York State law. Such plans are governed by a federal statute known as the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”) and may pay the disabled worker a monthly benefit equal to a percentage of their pre-disability income, typically between 50% to 66%.
  • Union Benefit Plans: Unions frequently provide a weekly or monthly disability benefit to their members and often provide for an early retirement or disability pension.
  • Veterans’ Administration Disability Benefits: Veterans who suffered a disability while serving in the military may be eligible for a partial or full disability pension.

Our attorneys also focus on Federal Employee Retirement System/Civil Service Retirement System (FER/CSRS) disability claims including:

  • FERS/CSRS disability application filing
  • Reconsideration
  • Merit Systems Protection Board appeals

Other Practice Areas:

  • Residential Real Estate and Wills & Estates
  • Matrimonial Law
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  • FERS Question of the Week

    QUESTION: My FERS disability benefits stopped because OPM said I exceeded the 80% earnings limitation. Can I get my FERS disability benefits back?

    ANSWER: If you still are found to be disabled, your FERS disability benefits can resume effective the first of the year AFTER you no longer exceed the 80% earnings limitation.

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