About Roberts Disability Law, P.C. — Disability Oakland, California
Roberts Disability Law, P.C. concentrates exclusively on ERISA benefits litigation, making it one of the few firms in the Bay Area focused entirely on disability Oakland and long-term disability insurance disputes. Founded by Michelle Roberts, who has litigated ERISA cases since 2005, the Oakland firm is a woman- and minority-owned practice that takes on major insurers — including MetLife, Unum, Sun Life, and CIGNA — on behalf of employees wrongfully denied their benefits. The firm’s office at 66 Franklin Street in Oakland serves clients throughout California and nationally on federal ERISA claims.
The Roberts team handles short-term disability, long-term disability, life insurance, accidental death and dismemberment (AD&D), long-haul COVID disability claims, severance benefits, and tech worker disability matters. Partners Monica Lienke and Kristin Kyle bring additional litigation depth to the practice. The firm has argued before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals and regularly handles complex claims where internal administrative appeals have already been denied.
What Clients Say
Clients describe the firm as a genuine ally against the institutional power of insurance companies — noting that the attorneys explain the ERISA administrative process clearly and set realistic expectations about timelines and odds. Reviewers highlight responsiveness as a standout quality, and several mention that Michelle Roberts personally engaged with their cases rather than delegating to junior staff. Clients who had already been denied once describe feeling equipped for the first time to push back effectively.
Disability Oakland — Practice Areas & Services
- Long-Term Disability (ERISA): Challenges insurer denials under group employer plans governed by ERISA, including appeals and federal district court litigation in the Northern District of California.
- Short-Term Disability Claims: Pursues benefits for clients unable to work temporarily due to illness, injury, or surgery when insurers improperly deny or terminate payments.
- Life Insurance Claims: Handles wrongful denial of life insurance benefits under employer-sponsored group plans, including cases involving cause-of-death disputes.
- Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D): Litigates insurer denials of AD&D benefits where the insurance company disputes whether an accident caused the injury or death.
- Long-Haul COVID Disability: Represents clients whose long-COVID symptoms — cognitive impairment, fatigue, cardiopulmonary complications — support a disability claim but have been denied by insurers.
- Tech Worker Disability: Focuses on the specific high-value disability plans common among Bay Area technology employees, where benefit amounts and insurer scrutiny are both elevated.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the deadline to appeal a denied ERISA disability claim in California?
ERISA plans must give claimants at least 180 days to file an internal administrative appeal after a denial. Missing this deadline typically forfeits all rights to later challenge the insurer in federal court. Once the internal appeal is denied, you generally have the time limit stated in the plan document — often one to three years — to file a lawsuit in U.S. District Court, which for Oakland-area claimants means the Northern District of California.
Can I sue my disability insurer in California state court, or does ERISA force federal court?
ERISA preempts state law for employer-sponsored group benefit plans, so claims must be filed in federal court. Individual disability policies purchased outside of employment — not through an employer group plan — are not covered by ERISA and can be litigated in California state court under California Insurance Code provisions. An attorney can quickly determine which track applies to your specific plan documents.
How does the Northern District of California court review an ERISA claim denial?
In most ERISA cases, the federal court reviews the insurer’s decision under an "abuse of discretion" standard rather than conducting a fresh trial — meaning the judge examines whether the insurer’s denial was reasonable given the administrative record, not whether the judge would have decided differently. This makes building a thorough administrative record during the appeal phase critical, as evidence not submitted internally is generally excluded from federal review.
Quick Facts: Disability Insurance Claims in Oakland, California
- ERISA coverage scope: ERISA governs the vast majority of employer-sponsored benefit plans in the US, covering approximately 152 million workers — including most Bay Area tech employees with group disability policies — according to the U.S. Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration.
- Initial claim denial rate: Industry data shows that approximately 30–40% of long-term disability claims are denied at the initial application stage, making appeals a routine part of the claims process for many workers. — Department of Labor ERISA enforcement data
- ERISA administrative deadline: Claimants typically have only 180 days from a denial letter to file an internal appeal — a deadline that, if missed, permanently closes the federal courthouse door on most LTD claims. — 29 CFR § 2560.503-1
