Mel L. Crawford

Mel is top notch. He clearly has the experience to navigate ERISA law. He understands the dynamics of creating a solid case for an appeal (what I had hired him for), as well as planning for if the case ends up in front of a judge. Mel is also personable, integrous, and communicates well. When I hired... Mel, I felt like I was in good hands and am grateful to have had his help.

We hired Mel due to my wife's school districts insurance company denying coverage for medical disability insurance. The school was not the issue, the disability insurance carrier was. Mel fought for my wife's rights and the coverage benefits that she had paid into the system for many years to have co...verage for, he did a great job to protect our interests and obtain what she was entitled to.

I have been fighting stage 4 cancer. At some point in the treatment, I become unable to work. I needed disability benefits to continue the treatment with my medical providers in Seattle, WA. Without it, I would have to go back to a community in Midwest where I probably could not count on the same qua...lity of medical care. However, the process of disability approval was so demanding, I could not respond to all that was required of me without a help of an experienced lawyer. An impressive recommendation led me to Mel Crawford. Mel called me the same day I contacted him to find out the details of the case. The discussion convinced me that he is the right person for the job, and he agreed to represent me in this case. He had to resolve ambiguities in the requests for medical information from the disability company to my medical providers, find out from the medical records departments of my providers the details of records release process and communicate them to the disability company, organize as speedy release of medical records as possible, and help speed up the review process. With his immediate reactions, he was able to prevent misunderstandings and delays that could have triggered negative response to my request. Yet he had plan in mind for that scenario too. He was also keeping me abreast of the progress throughout the process. Thanks to Mel, my disability request was approved several weeks after I hired him. Mel is an experienced and highly organized lawyer with outstanding communication skills. He represented me with utmost sincerity and dedication. His exceptional knowledge of the employee benefits law and his understanding of the complexities and pitfalls of the disability approval process were also the keys to the positive resolution of my disability request. I am grateful to Mel Crawford for representing me in this case. I am, without any hesitation, recommending Mel to anyone who needs an employee benefits lawyer.

Mel Crawford is the kind of lawyer that truly stands out. He is honest, is dedicated to his client’s interests, and is knowledgeable in the field of long and short term disability claims. I contacted Mr. Crawford when I was denied long term disability benefits that were part of my employment packag...e. Without his skillful handling of my case, I would not have received my benefits. He worked tirelessly with me to understand the legal process, the time frame for my case and his expected outcomes. I never doubted that he would be successful. Mel Crawford has my implicit trust. I would recommend him in a heartbeat as an exceptional lawyer and person.

Mel is an exceptional attorney for employees with a disability benefit claim. Representing employees is the sole focus of his practice. He does not represent employers and, therefore, doesn’t have the conflict of interest that prevents most employment law attorneys from representing employees. In ad...dition, he is an expert on ERISA, the Federal law governing these claims. He has been very successful in obtaining benefits on behalf of his clients. His fees are very reasonable, which allows clients to keep more of the benefits. My experience with Mel is the result of helping my brother obtain benefits after a disability. The issue was the benefit initially offered was substantially less than the benefit described at the time of hiring. Mel walked my brother through the ERISA process and at the same time continuously engaged the employer in discussions about the discrepancy. Mel’s expertise and attention to the details resulted in a settlement. I highly recommend Mel, without qualification, for any employee with a disability benefit claim.