Our Specialty: ERISA is ALL We Do!
We help you recover your denied ERISA insurance benefits because they belong to you!
100 % Focused: Our practice is only ERISA long- and short-term disability, accidental death / dismemberment, and life insurance claim denials. We DO NOT handle any other types of cases.
Never Overloaded: We intentionally limit the number of cases we handle at a given time for the benefit of sanity and simplicity. This results in efficiency and expertise despite the ever-changing, complex area of ERISA law. It also translates into better results with superior client communication and satisfaction.
Our tight-knit team has our clients’ and each other’s backs according to our Mission and Core Values listed below. We find this works best for our clients and ourselves.
Safeguard Your Future with Professional Legal Support
Our Story
From “Big Law” Insurance Company Attorney to Fighting for Justice for Victims of Unfair Claim Denials
Why I Quit “Big Law” And Representing Insurance Companies
It was an exciting “big deal” following law school to get an offer to work for a “Big Law” firm representing big national insurance companies. Newly married and starting a family, I accepted the offer.
Over the next several years I learned their behind-the-scenes tactics to deny and underpay claims. But I also learned that the insurance companies also took advantage of good deserving claimants, trying to pay them nothing or much less than they deserved when they really needed it.
I ultimately decided to use what I learned from representing insurance companies at Big Law to instead fight for deserving claimants, actual people, and families, against the Goliath insurance companies to recover wrongfully denied insurance benefits. That has been life-changing. I love helping the people I help!
Working Directly for Insurance Companies Prepared Me Better Than Anything Else to Guide Wrongful Claim Denial Victims to Justice
When I first quit Big Law, I thought I had “wasted” several years of my career path, but everything happens for a reason. Soon I realized that NOTHING has been more helpful to me for representing my clients than the experience of representing national insurance companies.
I can easily predict the insurance companies’ strategies and next moves in each case, frustrate their plans, and stay one step ahead of them to win my clients’ claim battles.
Our Practice Areas
Short Term Disability │ Long Term Disability │ Accidental Death & Dismemberment │ Life Insurance
After leaving “Big Law” national insurance company representation, I started handling more ERISA-regulated long- and short-term disability, accidental death / dismemberment, and life insurance recovery claims for wrongfully denied clients. It became my belief that this area of law is so obscure, complex, and constantly changing that I should either limit my practice to these claims alone, or not handle ERISA claim denials at all. No more “dabbling” in ERISA law.
I decided to go “all in” on ERISA cases, and “all out” of all other practice areas. Now, every day, ERISA is all we do and I wake up grateful that this is what I do.
Core Values
We live by two sets of core values here – our Client Centered Core Values and our Office Culture Core Values. One set compliments the other. Our core values have been key to building and preserving a one-of-a-kind workplace and never losing sight of what our work means for our clients who count on us.
Client Centered Core Values
We know you’re dealing with the uncertainty, worry, anxiety and financial pressure of a claim denial. We never forget that. We know we can’t eliminate these uncomfortable feelings completely, but our Client Centered Core Values will minimize them as you unload the burden of your claim to us to execute our process. We live by these values without exception, as they drive our delivery of your best experience.
1. ERISA is ALL We Do:
We made a big decision due to the complexity of ERISA law. We are an all in, 100% ERISA law practice.
2. We are Transparent:
You’ve entrusted us with a case critical to your livelihood. Your peace of mind is key, but impossible if you’re left guessing. You will never wonder “What’s going on with my case?” You’ll see our work in progress, real-time, from beginning to end, without having to ask.
3. We Guide and Educate:
Client peace of mind depends not only on knowing what we are doing now and will do next, but exactly why as well. We explain this in detail as we go, and when you have a question, you get a prompt and thorough answer. Uncertainty leads to unnecessary worry and anxiety, and we won’t have that.
4. We are Boldly Honest:
We tell you the good, the bad and the ugly. You need to know the truth about the strengths and weaknesses of your claim from the beginning to end. That’s exactly what you’ll get.
5. We are Efficient:
Efficiency means speed while maintaining the best possible claim building quality for the best possible outcome. A client’s (and family’s) financial security is at stake and will be pursued as aggressively as we would our own. Unnecessary delay is unacceptable.
6. We Get It:
We are mindful of the weight of your difficult and stressful circumstances and are grateful we can help with such a worthy and important cause. This drives our passion, compassion, purpose, commitment, and work satisfaction to your benefit as well as our own.
Office Culture Core Values
Our Office Culture Core Values are how we work together, and are designed to complement and reinforce our Client Centered Core Values. They protect our one-of-a-kind purpose-driven work environment, further boosting best client experience. We live by them without exception as well.
1. Limited Caseload, Never Hectic:
Hectic has not and will not happen here. Hectic is draining, and good for neither us nor our clients. If anyone here ever feels they are even approaching having more on their plate than they can handle with excellence and a calm mind, we discuss it immediately, evaluate and remedy the problem. Our client’s Blueprint to Benefits Process and Client Centered Core Values will not be compromised by stress or overload. If the work ceases to be satisfying and enjoyable due to overload, work-product suffers, unhappiness set in, our culture becomes dysfunctional, and our clients’ experience suffers. We don’t let that happen here.
2. Drama-Free Zone:
Office drama will not happen here. We are a small group who spends almost as much time together as we do with our families. We love the challenge and impact of our hard work, and are grateful for the positive atmosphere of genuinely liking our clients and each other. We respect and appreciate each other’s unique and diverse talents and gifts as we use them to help each other, our clients and our mission. Complainers don’t fit in well here. Honest, open adult-minded communicators and solution seekers who like challenge, responsibility and a worthy cause love it here. We always have each other’s backs.
3. Always Improving:
Law and technology are ever-evolving, so we are always learning. We proactively seek cutting-edge information and methods to improve our efficiency and client results to the highest possible level.
4. Passionate Advocacy, Best Reputation:
We never sacrifice professionalism in our work product or interactions with the insurance companies we fight, the opposing attorneys, or the judges who determine our clients’ outcomes. Our most valuable strength for our clients is a professional reputation built over 30 years. The insurance companies, their attorneys and judges know we are always well-prepared, cool-headed, honest and very good at what we do. We will passionately and aggressively advocate for our clients, but never be seduced into the gutter with anyone spewing rudeness, venom or childish cheap shots. Doing so can only make us look weak and feel bad, it isn’t who we are, and it can never help our clients.
Get To Know About J. Price McNamara
About
Following graduation from Loyola Law School in New Orleans in 1990, Price McNamara served as a Federal Judicial Law Clerk to the Honorable John M Shaw, Chief Judge, United States District Court Western District of Louisiana, until 1991. He then spent years as an insurance company attorney, defending automobile and truck insurers as well as industrial offshore vessel owners, offshore drilling contractors and their insurers against a broad range of personal injury and other insurance disputes with the law firm of Hailey, McNamara, Hall, Larmann & Papale in Metairie, while earning an advanced masters law degree in Environmental Law from Tulane Law School in New Orleans at night.
In 1995, Mr. McNamara left the insurance and injury defense practice to serve two years representing the State of Louisiana as a felony trial division prosecutor.
In 1995, Mr. McNamara founded J. Price McNamara ERISA Insurance Claim Attorney, and began putting his past experience to work for the injured and disabled clients he now represents against the insurance companies in personal injury and long term disability and other insurance disputes in both federal and state courts. While this forms the bulk of his practice, practice areas include: personal injury, ERISA, long term disability, fire, and other insurance claims, maritime, offshore, and Jones Act workers' compensation (including state and longshore and harbor workers' compensation act), contract and business litigation, wills, successions and estates, federal and state court criminal defense.
Education
- 1995 Masters Law Degree, LL. M Energy and Environment Tulane Law School, New Orleans, Louisiana.
- 1990 Law Degree, Loyola Law School, New Orleans, Louisiana.
- 1987 Bachelor of Arts Degree, School of Business Administration, Finance Concentration (with Honors), Loyola University, New Orleans, Louisiana.
- 1983 Licensed Single-Engine Land and Sea Plane Pilot, Airtaix School of Aviation, New Orleans, Louisiana.
- 1982 Graduate, Jesuit High School.
Work History
- Law Offices of J Price McNamara, Baton Rouge (Headquarters) and Metairie, Louisiana 1995 to present. Main practice focusing on representing people wrongfully denied long-term disability insurance, life insurance and accident death insurance benefits, with special focus on ERISA claims and lawsuits.
- Jefferson Parish District Attorney's Office, Felony Trial Division Prosecutor, Gretna, Louisiana 1995-1997 Responsible for prosecuting all division felony crimes including drug offenses, child molestation, theft, burglary, robbery, fraud, rape and murder.
- Law Office of Hailey, McNamara, Hall, Larmann & Papale, Metairie, Louisiana 1991-1995 Insurance company attorney handling federal and state court defense of automobile and truck insurance companies, offshore drilling companies, industrial offshore vessel owners, their insurers and others against personal injury lawsuits.
- Honorable John M. Shaw, Chief Judge, United States District Court, Western District of Louisiana, Lafayette, Louisiana. 1990-1991. Law Clerk to Federal Judge for civil and criminal dockets.
Court Admissions
- Supreme Court for the State of Louisiana, admitted to practice law in all Louisiana State Courts, 1990.
- Supreme Court for the State of Texas, admitted to practice law in all Texas State Courts, 2013.
- United States District Courts for the Eastern District of Louisiana, 1990.
- United States District Courts for the Middle District of Louisiana, 1990.
- United States District Courts for the Western District of Louisiana, 1990.
- United States District Courts for the Eastern District of Texas, 2013.
- United States District Courts for the Middle District of Texas, 2013.
- United States District Courts for the Western District of Texas, 2013.
- United States District Courts for the Southern District of Texas, 2013.
- United States District Courts for the Northern District of Texas, 2013.
- United States Court of Appeals, Fifth Circuit, 1990.
Bar Admissions
- Louisiana State Bar Association – 1990 (in good standing)
- Texas State Bar Association – 2013 (in good standing)
Published Books
- Finally! Hire the Right Attorney (and Avoid the Wrong Ones) With Confidence!
- Seven Deadly Sins That Will Destroy Your Legitimate Personal Injury Claim
- How to File a Great ERISA Long Term Disability Administrative Appeal Without Making Common Mistakes That Destroy Good Claims
Awards
- Holds Martindale-Hubbell highest possible attorney peer review rating of 'AV'' (Highest Level of Professional Excellence and Ethical Standards. Very High to Preeminent)
- Holds 10/10 AVVO attorney rating
- Named 'Top Attorney for Burn, Brain, and Closed Head Injuries' by New Orleans Magazine
- A+ Better Business Bureau rating
Memberships
- Louisiana Association for Justice
- American Association for Justice
- North American Brain Injury Society
- National Spinal Cord Injury Association
Our Limited Caseload,
Personal Client Attention Approach
Mr. McNamara’s work philosophy is to limit the number of cases he handles at any given time so he can dedicate the time necessary to fully educate each client on the legal process and ensure that the client understands his or her own claim completely. That way, the client understands exactly what will happen next and why, making the entire process less stressful because the client is fully informed. When Mr. McNamara accepts a case, he is dedicated to devoting the time and resources required to win it.
Our Fees
We answer any questions you have for FREE. We welcome telephone calls or the opportunity to visit you in person to answer any questions you may have about your case without charge and without any obligation on your part whatsoever to hire us as your attorney.
We also provide FREE, comprehensive case reviews. Just contact us and we are happy to speak with you by telephone or in person to speak with you about your case in detail without charge. There is no obligation whatsoever to hire us as your attorney.
If you ultimately decide to hire us to represent you in a personal injury, wrongful death or disability insurance claim, we handle them on a contingent fee basis. Our fee is earned and our advanced litigation costs are recovered only when we recover for you by settlement or trial judgment. Our clients owe us nothing, no fee and no reimbursement of our advanced litigation costs, no matter how large, unless we recover.
Mr. McNamara holds the highest possible peer review rating of AV Preeminent for professional excellence and ethical standards.
Our Successes
In pursuit of his mission to stop insurance companies from taking advantage of the injured and disabled, Mr. McNamara has won millions of dollars in numerous notable jury verdicts and successful settlements against large insurance companies, trucking companies, offshore drilling companies, offshore vessel companies and other corporations. Some examples are:
- Allstate Insurance Co.
- Black Trucking, Inc.
- Blake Offshore Drilling Co.
- Boh Brothers Construction Co.
- Centennial Insurance Co.
- Clarendon National Insurance Co.
- Empire Fire & Marine Insurance Co.
- Encompass Insurance Co.
- Farmer's Insurance Co.
- Farm Bureau Insurance Co.
- Hill City Oil Co.
- Jones Motor Co.
- ld Republic Insurance Co.
- Liberty Mutual Insurance Co.
- Lifemark Hospitals of Louisiana
- Lumbermens Insurance Co.
- Lytal Marine Operators
- Protective Insurance Co.
- Progressive Insurance Co.
- Richard Oil & Fuel
- Shelter Insurance Co.
- St. Paul Insurance Co.
- State Farm Insurance Co.
- The Hartford Disability Insurance Co.
- Travelers Insurance Co.
- Transit Management of Southeast Louisiana
- Wal-Mart
- Westport Insurance Co.
- Yellow Transportation