ERISA & Long-Term Disability Attorneys - Charlotte, NC

Experienced ERISA & Disability Attorneys Here to Serve You

With decades of experience, the ERISA and employee benefits team at Essex Richards focuses on the representation of individuals seeking benefits under both private policies and group, employer-sponsored (“ERISA”) plans. When you have a benefit through your employer, ERISA (which stands for the “Employee Retirement Security Income Act of 1974”) applies. ERISA is the federal law that establishes the minimum standards that are applicable to private employers’ disability, health, and other welfare benefit plans, as well as retirement and pension plans. From the administrative level to litigation and appeals, benefit claims under ERISA are complicated to traverse, as they are governed by complex regulations with a specialized set of applicable rules and procedures that must be followed.



Areas of Practice


Short and Long-Term Disability Claims

Our ERISA and employee benefits practice group handles short-term (“STD”) and long-term (“LTD”) disability benefit denials both under ERISA plans and private, non-ERISA disability insurance policies (“IDI”).Read More...

Life Insurance & AD&D Claims 

We handle other welfare benefit claims, as well, such as life insurance and accidental death & dismemberment (“AD&D”) denials.Read More...

Medical Insurance Claims & Mental Health Benefits

The firm also regularly challenges group and individual health benefit denials for clients seeking coverage for their medical claims and procedures, mental health services, and addiction treatments.Read More...

Pension Benefit & Retirement Claims

Additionally, we represent individual clients and plan administrators with retirement benefit issues, “top hat” plans, deferred compensation agreements, and other pension benefit matters. Read More...

Breach of Fiduciary Duty Class Actions

Our team is also experienced in handling breach of fiduciary duty and prohibited transaction claims under ERISA, as well as ERISA class actions on behalf of participants, beneficiaries, and trustees.Read More...

Doctors, Lawyers, Professionals, & Executives

We also regularly represent doctors, lawyers, banking executives, accountants, business owners, and other professionals and executives, and understand the unique issues that accompany the benefit claims of high earning individuals.Read More...


We Are a Nationally Ranked ERISA Litigation Practice in NC

For the second year in a row, Essex Richards has earned a National ranking for its ERISA Litigation practice in the 2018 edition of U.S. News-Best Lawyers “Best Law Firms,” making it one of only five law firms in North Carolina to be nationally ranked in this area and the only such law firm that represents primarily individuals and plaintiffs. Our individual ERISA practice group lawyers have also frequently been recognized by their peers, having been named on multiple occasions to U.S. News & World Report’s “Best Lawyers in America,” Business North Carolina’s “Legal Elite,” Thompson Reuters’ “North Carolina Super Lawyers,” Thompson Reuters’ “National Business Edition Super Lawyers,” among others. Additionally, our lawyers regularly lecture on ERISA topics across the country and have had their writings published extensively.


Efficient & Effective ERISA Attorneys in Charlotte

Very few lawyers handle these kinds of claims and even fewer have experience in helping individuals who have had their benefits denied or terminated. Essex Richards’ ERISA lawyers have been handling ERISA employee benefits claim for decades and have the experience to help you to resolve your claim as efficiently and effectively as possible.

While we are physically located in Charlotte, we regularly represent individuals throughout the entire state of North Carolina. For additional information or to determine if you need assistance with a claim, please complete the contact form or give us a call at (704) 377-4300.


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How We Helped...

 Looking back, I wish we had called Norris sooner. We just didn’t understand how difficult it can be to get an insurance company to change its mind. Norris had the experience to deal with the insurance company on the timeline we needed. Norris was an amazing advocate for our son and was completely dedicated to our family. It took a lawsuit to finally make the insurance company listen to us, and, in the end, our son had the surgery he needed at the time his doctor determined was best.