We’re excited to introduce the new Riemer Hess Quarterly Report. This report is intended to cover the Firm’s most relevant highlights of 2023 Q3. Below you’ll find news updates, recent educational outreach performed by the firm, and client success stories from this quarter.
In Q3, Riemer Hess explored the possibility of using AI tools to enhance our legal research efforts. The Firm prides itself on employing cutting edge technology designed to protect and assist our clients in the best possible way. We know that the courts are already utilizing this technology and our opponents will soon follow. In fact, earlier this month, Prudential unveiled plans to use a new AI system called EvolutionIQ to help “streamline the disability claims process.” Unfortunately, insurance companies are more likely to use AI tools to deny claims rather than protect claimants. The Post revealed that 70% of the top 15 U.S. disability carriers are already using this AI tool.
The Firm thoroughly explored two (2) AI options to help us stay ahead of the insurance companies. We will be moving forward with a service offered by Westlaw, the industry leader for legal research platforms and tools. We look forward to using this tool to our clients’ advantage.
In July 2023, Associate Ryan McIntyre and Partner Jennifer Hess taught a new Continuing Legal Education (“CLE”) course with Lawline titled, “Navigating the Intersection of Employment Law and Long Term Disability Claims.” Lawline is the leading provider of online continuing legal education offering legal intelligence to attorneys in all 50 states. By teaching this class, Mr. McIntrye and Ms. Hess sought to educate employment law attorneys about how our practice areas often overlap, and how to navigate through hurdles to best represent our mutual clients’ best interests. The course is now available on demand. It currently has an average 5-star rating with 300 reviews.
In September 2023, Partner Scott Riemer attended a conference for the National Employment Lawyer Association’s New York Chapter at Fordham Law School. Mr. Riemer is a longtime member of the organization. Just last year, he taught a CLE course, together with Ms. Hess, at the same conference.
In September 2023, the Firm undertook creating and sharing content about the challenges faced by individuals filing long term disability claims due to early onset Alzheimer’s. The Firm did so in recognition of World Alzheimer’s Day, September 21, 2023.
In August 2023, the Firm undertook creating and sharing content about the challenges faced by individuals seeking long term disability claims due to tick-borne illnesses, such as Lyme disease and babesiosis. The Firm did so in light of the increasing number of tick-borne related illnesses in the Northeast U.S. this summer.
In August 2023, the Firm won a significant victory when our client “Danielle” (not her real name) was awarded ongoing LTD benefits beyond her policy’s change in definition. A change in definition review is always a difficult time in the LTD claim process because the insurance company looks for evidence of any possible job that the claimant is able to perform.
Danielle had worked as an office manager for many years. Unfortunately, she was diagnosed with Lyme’s disease which led to Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyradiculoneuropathy ("CIDP"), which causes severe pain, and was no longer able to work.
Knowing that insurance companies often look to terminate benefits during the change in definition, Danielle’s legal team (consisting of Associate Ryan McIntyre and Paralegal Sam Renner) put together a comprehensive strategy to ensure she surpassed the change in definition. In addition to supportive letters from Danielle’s treating physicians, Riemer Hess sent her for a Functional Capacity Evaluation and Independent Medical Exam. Both of these tests provided supportive objective medical evidence that the insurance company was unable to ignore. As a result, Danielle was awarded ongoing LTD benefits.