Lonnie Roach represents clients with disability claims including long term disability claims, ERISA disability claims and Social Security disability claims. He is Board Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization in Personal Injury Trial Law.
The son of a career army officer, Lonnie Roach was born at Fort Lewis Washington in 1963. He received his undergraduate degree from the University of Texas at Dallas, where he graduated with honors with a B.A. in Political Science. He then moved to Austin in 1988 to attend law school at the University of Texas at Austin. While in law school, he and his close friend, Greg Reed, won the State Bar of Texas Moot Court Competition, a prestigious State-wide competition. This was Mr. Roach’s first experience in appellate law. He’s been winning ever since.
After completing law school, Mr. Roach began his career practicing personal injury trial law and became Board Certified in Personal Injury Trial Law by the Texas Board of Legal Specialization the first year he was eligible. In addition to his trial practice, he is the firm’s primary appellate lawyer and has successfully argued cases before the Texas Court of Appeals, the Texas Supreme Court, and the United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit.
It was natural that Mr. Roach’s career path would eventually lead him to the field of ERISA law, especially as it applies to long term disability insurance. Disability benefits cases are, by their nature, medical cases. They involve volumes of medical records that require a solid medical background to interpret. These are the skills of a Board Certified Personal Injury lawyer. When these cases go to trial, however, they take on the aspect of appeals. Disabled claimants are appealing the decision of powerful claims administrators. These trials call for the skills of an appellate attorney. Mr. Roach is both and has become a recognized expert in the field of ERISA, Long Term Disability. He has successfully overturned denials of disability benefits at the administrative level, at trial in United States District Court, and at the United States Court of Appeals.
Our disability benefits legal services are state-wide. At any given time, Mr. Roach is likely to have cases pending in all four federal districts in Texas. He is a Board Certified Texas attorney and is admitted to the United States District Courts for the Northern District of Texas, the Southern District of Texas, the Eastern District of Texas, and the Western District of Texas, as well as the United States Court of appeals for the Fifth Circuit.
Practice areas
Languages spoken
English
Bemis, Roach & Reed
4100 Duval Rd, Bldg 1, # 200
Austin, TX, 78759-3550
State | Status | Acquired | Updated |
---|---|---|---|
TX | Eligible To Practice In Texas | 1991 | 02/17/2022 |
Legal answers | 0 |
Legal guides | 0 |
Award name | Grantor | Date Granted |
---|---|---|
AV Preeminent Rated | Martindale-Hubbell | 2018 |
Peer Review Rated | Martindale-Hubbell | 2018 |
AV Rated | Martindale-Hubbell | 2018 |
Super Lawyers | Thomson Reuters | 2017 |
Board Certified - Personal Injury Trial Law | Texas Board of Legal Specialization | 1996 |
Title | Company name | Duration |
---|---|---|
Partner | Bemis, Roach & Reed | 1993 - Present |
Association name | Position name | Duration |
---|---|---|
Capital Area Trial Lawyers Association | Member | 1991 - Present |
State Bar of Texas | Member | 1991 - Present |
Texas Trial Lawyers Association | Member | N/A |
Austin Bar Association | Member | N/A |
Capital Area Trial Lawyers Association | Director | 1999 - 2001 |
School name | Degree | Graduated |
---|---|---|
University of Texas School of Law | JD - Juris Doctor | 1991 |
University of Texas at Dallas | BA - Bachelor of Arts | 1988 |
Conference name | Title | Date |
---|---|---|
Advanced Insurance Seminar | ERISA Long Term Disability | 2013 |
Advanced Civil Trial Law | ERISA Long Term Disability | 2012 |
Case name | Outcome |
---|---|
George v. Reliance Standard Life Insurance Company | The Fifth Circuit ruled agreed with Mr. Roach that no mental/nervous condition “contributed” to our client’s disability because even without his diagnosis of depression, Mr. Roach’s client would still be disabled due to solely physical causes. |
Scheuermann v. Unum Life Ins. Co. | The Court agreed with Mr. Roach and concluded that Unum abused its discretion in denying long-term benefits. |
Robinson v. Aetna | The Court of appeals concluded both that Aetna failed to substantially comply with ERISA procedures and that Aetna abused its discretion by terminating Mr. Roach’s client’s benefits. |
Garcia v. United States, 799 F. Supp. 674 (W.D. Tex. 1992) | |
Rossi v. Precision Drilling Oilfield Services Corp. Employee Benefits Plan (5th Cir. 2013) |
Posted by ponciano
May 6, 2022
Posted by Art
October 1, 2019
Posted by Kyle
September 28, 2018
Posted by Catherine-Claire
August 26, 2017
Posted by Chriss
July 3, 2017
Posted by anonymous
December 21, 2016
Posted by Charles Lemmond Montgomery , Texas 77356
July 2, 2011
Lloyd Bemis, Insurance Attorney on Feb 10, 2016
Relationship: Co-worker
Lonnie has developed a reputation as a leader in the area of long term disability law and ERISA claims throughout Texas. He is one of the most prepared and skilled advocates of the disabled in Texas and regularly achieves results for his clients that others thought were not possible. I endorse this lawyer without reservation.
Gregory Reed, Insurance Attorney on Feb 4, 2016
Relationship: Co-worker
Lonnie always provides the service and consideration our mutual clients deserve. A highly experienced litigator and trial attorney, Lonnie is a person of tremendous integrity. Working diligently for all of his disability clients, he is meticulous and methodical, enabling him to achieve great results. I never hesitate to recommend Lonnie to any of my clients with disability issues.
Cash, Check