Mel L. Crawford

I disagreed with an insurance company for months and months about their decision to terminate my benefits. I read every word of a 900+ page case file. I wrote what I thought was an incredibly strong appeal. The insurance company's tactics were transparently manipulative, stalling, and biased. Their d...ecision forced me to do things that were not in my best interest medically. I was on the verge of giving up because it was just too much when a trusted person gave me Mel's contact information. Everything changed after that. Mel was reassuring, compassionate, and empathetic. He helped me understand that it wasn't personal. It was what insurance companies did and that this one was one of the worst of the worst. It was empowering when the insurance company asked one more blatantly stalling thing of me to be able to have Mel immediately contact them telling them that from there on out everything went through him. He wrote a second letter building on my own appeal, but based in legal precedence and without my frayed emotions. Mel is a gifted and effective writer. He had a quiet and calming demeanor with me, but his communications with the insurance company were professional but with a firm tone that left no doubt that they were no longer dealing with a person they could continue their standard practices with. Mel is clearly passionate about his work and cares very much about his clients. The insurance company seemed to double down but Mel's expertise in handling these matters allowed him to walk me through the expected reactions and possible outcomes. And we were very prepared and able to respond quickly and definitively. I was battling a huge corporation solo before hiring Mel. After hiring Mel, despite that we were a small team, Mel made us so effective against the insurance company that I feel we forced them to admit (of course, without admitting) that they had made the wrong decision initially. Ultimately, Mel brought us to a conclusion that I never could have on my own despite that I had in my original appeal accurately identified several of the shortcomings of the insurance companies decision. Despite this, their tactics had completely worn me down and without Mel I would have walked away. I absolutely felt that I was being bullied by the insurance company and felt utterly powerless to do anything about it. Mel very much helped me regain that empowerment by speaking on my behalf with his years of legal expertise behind his words. It's easy to feel like you have no options as a single person against a huge insurance company, but with Mel advocating for you, even two people can face a huge corporation that has had years to perfect their tactics of breaking people down. I believe I could have spared myself a lot of anguish if I'd hired Mel earlier.

Mel is an A+++ attorney and is expertly knowledgeable in his craft. He helped me navigate very difficult situations for a year and a half with disability insurance companies so that I get the time I needed to recover from my health challenges. Mel is kind, caring, and compassionate - something that i...s very rare to find in business these days. I would recommend Mel to anyone that needs support the way I did because I don't think I would have been able to concentrate on my health recovery if it wasn't for Mel. I am very grateful for what Mel has done for me.

After my disability insurance company denied my short term claim I started looking for a lawyer. Finding a lawyer that specializes in Employee benefits for the employee are hard to find. I was eventually pointed to the Washington Employment Law Association website. I started through the list from ...the top, and stopped for the night in the C's with no one that specialized in disability benefits. The next day, I started from the bottom of the list. Eventually I got back to the C''s and still hadn't found anyone… Then I found Mel's information and I knew I had found the person I needed to contact. And after the initial phone consultation, I knew I had found the right person to help me. Mel was very caring and confident I should win the case. He had prior experience with this company and definitely knew how they operated. When my FMLA ended, I was unable to return to work and we had notified the company of my intent to appeal, they failed to let HR know. HR wanted me to be terminated due to "job abandonment". Mel immediately sent all the documentation of contacts (and lack of response) with the insurance company.. HR quickly put me on medical administrative leave. Mel also spent time reassuring me. It took almost 6 months from the time I first filed for STD, before they finally approved the appeal. And they approved the long term disability claim without a fight when the short term ended. Every penny I spent was worth the relief and reassurance that someone competent was working on the appeal, especially since I had read many accounts of how the insurance company denied a large percentage of claims. .

I had been beaten up for several years by an insurance company that was supposed to provide disability income when I became ill. Several lawyers looked at the case, but no one seemed to understand the complexity of the issues. It was impossible to carry this huge burden in addition to having a new di...sability, and it was frighteningly close to the end of the line. I had spoken with people about letting my house go because I could not pay the mortgage. Mel stepped in at my lowest point and changed everything. When I left his office the first time, I felt a monumental weight lifted from my shoulders. And then, he resolved the case with full benefits and interest (including back pay) without going to trial - in a very short period of time. There are no adequate words to describe the level of understanding, intelligence, energy and dedication that Mel showed while literally saving me. He was able to do what other lawyers could not even understand. He knew the law. He knew the players. He knew what to do when. The case was over the day I met him. I cannot imagine what my life would be now if I had not hired Mel to be my attorney.

Mr. Crawford helped me when I was in need of good advise and help trying to navigate the disability system. There is a steep learning curve to applying for disability and any misstep could lead to denial, so we asked Mel for help and are so grateful that he took our case. He was able to explain how... the system works, what to expect and all the steps we needed to follow. Without his help I am sure I would have been denied with no recourse for my MS disability. We have recommended him to a friend of ours that has lupus and needed help. I think very highly of Mr. Crawford and would very much recommend him as a first rate disability lawyer. Talk to him before you apply!!