An Overview of Our Legal Practice Areas
Attorneys in the Cleveland, Ohio, law firm offices of Agee Clymer Mitchell & Portman handle a wide array of disability cases, insurance claims, and civil lawsuits. We always represent plaintiffs because we welcome opportunities to fight for victims of on-the-job accidents, injuries, wrongful deaths, and mistreatment by insurance companies and retirement plans.
Workers’ Compensation
Nearly all employers in Ohio are required to participate in the state’s program to pay medical expenses and replacement wages to workers who suffer injuries, get killed, or develop illnesses while on the job. Worker’s comp benefits do not arrive automatically, however. Companies and agencies often dispute claims, and the applicant must demonstrate that the injury, loss of life, or disease resulted directly from something done as part of their official duties or assignments. Partnering with an experienced Cleveland workers’ compensation attorney can be essential to securing payments that make it possible to recover enough to start working again or to survive without an accustomed paycheck.
Social Security Disability
The Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) program provides payments to people who have physical or mental conditions that leave them unable to work for 12 months or longer. Conditions likely to result in death can also qualify people for SSDI benefits.
The federal long-term disability program is open to adults who have made contributions to Social Security, usually through automatic deductions from their wages or salaries. Children of Social Security-eligible adults can also qualify to receive SSDI benefits.
Disabled individuals with little income and few financial resources may also qualify for Supplemental Security Income or SSI. Applying for either SSDI or SSI can be complicated and time-consuming. Denials of benefits frequently occur for technical reasons. Working with a Cleveland Social Security disability lawyer can increase the likelihood of receiving benefits.
Long-Term Disability and Short-Term Disability
Insurance companies look for reasons to deny claims. Choosing the most-appropriate policy in the first place can prevent some problems from occurring, but taking full advantage of contracted coverages can prove difficult. For these reasons, the long- and short-term disability attorneys with the Agee Clymer Mitchell & Portman law firm in Cleveland, Ohio, welcome opportunities to consult with clients looking to purchase insurance and with clients who need to hold insurers to their contractual obligations.
Personal Injury
From car crashes to defective products and improperly maintained stairs, risks for injuries and deaths caused by others’ negligence abound. Receiving compensation and monetary damages from the person or organization that failed to protect the victim’s health or life can take years and a court case. Hiring a dedicated personal injury lawyer or wrongful death attorney to conduct an independent investigation, to interpret and apply relevant laws and regulations, and to deal with insurance representatives or defense lawyers can make all the difference in holding the responsible party financially accountable.
Medical Malpractice
Patients and their family members trust healthcare providers and healthcare facilities with their physical and emotional well-beings. Negligence or recklessness by a doctor, surgeon, nurse, pharmacist, dentist, clinic, or hospital does more than break that trust; it makes people sicker and, sometimes, takes lives.
Holding people and institutions accountable for medical malpractice requires showing that a duty to the patient was breached, that harm resulted directly from the breach, and that the person or organization named as the defendant failed to meet professional or regulatory standards. Most victims of medical malpractice lack the knowledge and resources to prove these things, so enlisting the assistance of a hardworking medical malpractice attorney is necessary.
Intentional Torts
Intentional torts are usually crimes. When a person or company intends to harm someone, the victim can file a civil lawsuit for monetary compensation and damages. Sometimes, punitive damages and reimbursement can also be sought.
Examples of intentional torts include assault, fraud, theft, trespassing, and libel. Succeeding with a claim requires proving both that harm occurred and that the defendant intended to inflict the harm. That is, the plaintiff needs to collaborate with an intentional tort attorney to show the cause/motive and the effects.
State Pension and Disability Disputes
State and local government employees, public school teachers and staff, state university faculty, and public hospital staff do not pay into Social Security. Instead, they rely on plans like the Ohio Public Employees Retirement System (OPERS), the State Teachers Retirement System (STRS), and the School Employees Retirement System (SERS) for pensions and disability benefits. The plans generally insist that potential beneficiaries apply for Social Security benefits first when any SSDI, federal retirement, or SSI eligibility may exist. Consulting with a knowledgeable OPERs, STRS, or SERS attorney can prevent false starts and ease the navigation of a process seemingly set up to discourage applicants.
We invite anyone who needs help in one of the above areas of civil law to contact our Cleveland Ohio law firm for a free consultation. Appointments can be scheduled by calling (800) 678-3318 or completing this online contact form.