Mel L. Crawford

I engaged Mr. Crawford regarding a complex disability case. Mr. Crawford proved to be capable, diligent, insightful, compassionate, and efficient throughout the case. He worked closely with me as the client as well as with another attorney handling a related matter, resulting in excellent teamwork ...and positive outcomes. Mr. Crawford was meticulous in his analysis of the issues, and reflective on strategies and tactics, yet ready to take action or adapt to shifting circumstances. Mr. Crawford made himself available electronically, by phone, conference call, and in-person, as required. He demonstrated awareness and insights into the implications of my case for me as whole person, and taken together with his legal expertise, adept interpersonal skills, and deeply held ethical values, was an outstanding advocate. I would return to Mr. Crawford and recommend him in the highest way.

When I became unable to work due to a debilitating illness, I naively thought that I could simply submit my disability insurance claim and begin receiving benefits. After my initial application and first tier appeal were denied, my employer’s human resources attorney strongly recommended that I conta...ct Mel Crawford. Mr. Crawford specializes in disability law, I was told, and is highly regarded by colleagues and clients alike. After thoroughly reviewing my case, Mr. Crawford agreed to represent me and clearly explained the details of his approach, fee structure, and timeline – all of which seemed efficient, fair, and informed by his many years of experience. Throughout the process (final appeal and then litigation), Mr. Crawford was professional, thorough, and extremely knowledgeable. He welcomed my myriad questions and responded quickly to my emails, which went a long way toward allaying my anxieties during this physically, financially, and emotionally difficult experience. He was efficient with his time, spot on with his recommendations, persuasive in his well-crafted arguments, and determined to bring all of his considerable talents to bear on my behalf. In the end, Mr. Crawford successfully negotiated a settlement, which was – for me – the best possible outcome. I couldn’t be more grateful for his advocacy, expertise, and compassion.

I have an ERISA short term disability claim pending with Aetna. I have struggled to keep up with their requests, their questions about why I continue to have pain, Aetna's blatant insults, etc...I've been trying to find a skilled, passionate attorney to retain...you see I live & work in the state of ...Ohio. I found Mel's website, read about his successes and what a good person he is. I thought what the heck I'll email him to see if he has any ideas or recommendations. Mel quickly replied to my email and in less than 24 hours, I had a list of attorneys in my area. Mel didn't have to help me. Mel could have ignored my email. Folks, Mel is exactly the caliber of attorney that you want to represent you. My interaction was limited but I am completely overwhelmed by his act of kindness to someone on the other side of the country.

I'd been trying to fight my disability insurance claim on my own, and was just about to give up because of the terrible toll it was taking when a friend referred me to Mel's firm. After that first call with Mel I was so relieved to discover that there was someone out there who had dedicated their pro...fessional life to defending ill people against their insurance companies. Professionally, he knows ERISA law inside and out and was on top of every minute detail of my case; it ended up in federal court and Mel capitalized on any misstep, no matter how tiny, by Prudential’s attorneys. Personally, he really cares about his clients, and his kindness and empathy show in every interaction. He was always very clear in his explanations of the law as it applied to my case and extremely prompt in responding to my questions as they arose. We won my case in federal court and I finally received all of the back benefits owed to me; Mel was even able to get me a sizable amount of interest, which was the icing on the cake. It was also very gratifying that Prudential had to pay for all of Mel's time from the beginning of the federal suit onward. It is true that legal representation can be expensive and comes at the very worst time - when a person is out of work from illness. But, I was confident in two things: 1) that Mel would help me win my case and the back benefits owed to me would more than cover my legal fees, and 2) even if I ended up paying as much in legal fees as the back benefits I received, it would be worth it to be one more person to stand up to these huge insurance companies. However, I did not have to worry about the latter because my settlement covered my legal fees many times over. Moreover, because Mel knows ERISA law so well and is so good at what he does, he works very efficiently and that keeps costs down. A lessor attorney would most certainly have been more expensive in the long run. There is no doubt in my mind that I would not have had a successful outcome without legal representation, but I truly believe that I had the very best in every regard. Mel is not only exceptionally good at what he does, he is an exceptional person.

I'm deeply appreciative to Mel for working so hard on my behalf. My claim for disability under ERISA involved one of the nastier local employers. Mel didn't even blink in taking them on. In the end the insurance company paid my benefits. Mel knows this area of law inside and out. He's also easygoing ...and personable. I get the sense that he doesn't sees the person in his clients, and not just the paycheck. He clearly gets excited when he forces employers and insurance companies to comply with their policies. Last, he's very careful to keep costs as low as possible. He achieves a lot in his billable hours, making the investment in retaining him pay off even more. You will not go wrong hiring Mel to handle your ERISA claim.