Disability Law
LTD benefits denied, delayed or cut off?
Canada’s Long-Term Disability Lawyers
You can’t work. Your insurer won’t pay. Samfiru Tumarkin LLP’s disability lawyers challenge denied and stopped benefits so you can focus on your health.
Free LTD consultation. No upfront legal fees.
Prefer to talk? 1-855-821-5900
Speak with us by phone or video. We represent clients in every Canadian province except Quebec. Find help in your province.
60,000+
Canadians helped
Millions
Recovered for clients
3,000+
Google reviews across our firm
No legal fee
Unless we recover compensation
INDEPENDENT RECOGNITION
Recognized Among Canada’s Best Law Firms
2027
Best Disability Law Firm
Recognized in the 2027 edition of Best Law Firms by Best Lawyers.
2026
Lexpert Ranked Law Firm
Recognized in Lexpert’s 2026 law firm rankings.
NATIONAL MEDIA
Canada’s Best Law Firms
Named among Canada’s best law firms by The Globe and Mail. Read More →
Long-term disability results
Real People. Real Disability Claim Results.
When insurers refused to pay, our lawyers challenged their decisions. These are three of the clients we helped.
Sandra Bullock · Sun Life
Her LTD Benefits Were Reinstated.
Sun Life said caring for her disabled son meant Sandra could work. James K. Fireman pushed back. After legal action and media coverage, Sun Life reinstated her LTD benefits.
Julie Austin · OTIP
$113,000 After Her Benefits Stopped.
After a student assault left Julie with a brain injury, OTIP stopped her benefits. James K. Fireman used the insurer’s own surveillance to help show why she couldn’t work. Julie received $113,000 in compensation.
Mitch Murphy · SSQ Insurance, now Beneva
Paralyzed. Denied LTD. We Resolved His Claim.
Mitch was left paraplegic, but his insurer said he wasn’t totally disabled and refused to pay his LTD benefits. Sivan Tumarkin took on the insurer and successfully resolved his claim.
The Benefits and Compensation We Fight For
Recovering the benefits you should have been paid while your claim was denied or your payments were stopped.
Getting your monthly payments started again when you still qualify under your policy.
Negotiating a lump-sum payment to settle your claim. Before you decide, we’ll explain the offer and any future benefits you’d be giving up.
How We Help With Your LTD Claim
Whether your benefits were denied, stopped or put at risk, our disability lawyers across Canada can take on the insurer for you.
Your Claim Was Denied
We challenge the denial and fight for the benefits you’re owed.
Your Benefits Were Cut Off
We work to recover missed benefits, restart payments or negotiate a settlement.
Your Insurer Says You Can Work
We challenge return-to-work decisions using your policy and medical evidence.
What does an LTD lawyer do? We review your policy and medical evidence, challenge the insurer’s decision, and recover the benefits and compensation you’re owed.
Also dealing with an appeal, medical evidence questions or pressure from your employer?
Start with a conversation
What Happens When You Contact Us
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Tell Us What Happened.
Tell us why you can’t work and what your insurer has said. Have the denial letter handy if you can.
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Understand Your Options.
We’ll explain how we can help, what it would cost and what happens next, so you can decide whether to hire us.
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Let Us Handle the Dispute.
Once you hire us, we deal with the insurer, build your case and work to get you compensation. We’ll keep you updated as we negotiate or take legal action.
What Our Disability Clients Say
3,000+ Google reviews across our firm.
Hear from people we’ve helped with disability insurance claims.
Google review
★★★★★
“James Fireman was incredible to work with! He was so passionate about my case, and made all the right moves. He got my insurance company to overturn their decision to deny my LTD claim. Thank you for your efforts.”
Google review
★★★★★
“My case was complex and Albert Klein did everything to help me get through a disability claim. I was not in a position to pay an LTD lawyer and a contingency agreement was arranged. I can’t say enough of the professionalism.”
Google review
★★★★★
“Prior to contacting Sivan, I had reached out to several other law firms […] From the time I initially contacted him, he and his staff were very respectful and responsive. […] Sivan resolved this case to our satisfaction and much faster than we anticipated.”
Experience on both sides of the dispute
We Know the Insurer’s Side. We’re On Yours.
Before representing people with disability claims, Sivan Tumarkin represented insurance companies. Today, he leads our disability team and knows how insurers assess claims, challenge medical evidence, and justify denying benefits.
We use that experience to identify weaknesses in the insurer’s decision, build stronger cases and get the compensation and benefits our clients are owed.
Meet Your Disability Lawyers
Sivan Tumarkin
National Co-Managing Partner
When an insurer makes you feel powerless, Sivan brings determined advocacy and deep insurance-law experience—while treating you like a person, not a case number.
James K. Fireman
National Practice Leader
James takes the pressure of an LTD dispute off your shoulders. Clients value his clear advice, careful preparation and steady confidence when facing an insurance company.
Martin Willemse
Managing Partner, Western Canada Practice Leader
A disability dispute can feel overwhelming. Martin makes the process easier to understand, pairing patient, responsive guidance with the persistence to pursue a fair resolution.
Albert Klein
Partner
Albert makes sure you’re heard, informed and ready to stand up to your insurer. Clients praise his persistence, compassion and commitment to moving difficult claims forward.
Tamar Agopian
Partner
Tamar combines a tough approach to insurers with genuine care for the people behind each claim. Clients value her honesty, responsiveness and determination to fight for their benefits.
Michael Gerhard
Partner
Michael brings calm, clarity and committed advocacy to stressful disability disputes. Clients describe feeling protected, informed and supported throughout the process.
We’ll tell you who will handle your case before you hire us.
We Take On Disability Insurance Companies
Your insurance company denied your claim, stopped your payments or says you’re ready to return to work. You don’t have to accept its decision without a fight.
Our disability lawyers challenge LTD decisions by insurers such as Sun Life, Manulife, Canada Life and others. Find your insurer below to learn more, or talk to us about getting your benefits and compensation.
Find Your Disability Insurance Company
Medical Conditions and Long-Term Disability Claims
A diagnosis doesn’t tell the whole story. We help show how
your symptoms affect your ability to work.
Mental Health
Brain Injury and Cognitive Symptoms
Pain and Physical Illness
On TV. Live online. In the news.
Watch Canada’s Disability Lawyers in Action.
Get to know our lawyers as they explain disability claims and answer questions from Canadians.
What a Disability Lawyer Can Do for Your ClaimClose video
Our lawyers have appeared in
Before you decide
Questions About Getting Legal Help
These answers are a starting point. We can review the details of your claim with you.
What should I do after an LTD denial?
Keep the decision letter and speak with a lawyer before deciding how to respond. We can review the insurer’s reasons, your policy and the deadlines. Read our guide to denied or cut-off LTD benefits.
Do I need to appeal before contacting a lawyer?
No. We can explain whether more evidence, an internal appeal or legal claim makes sense for your situation. An internal appeal doesn’t stop the clock on the amount of time you have left to take action. Learn about disability appeals.
How long do I have to challenge the decision?
The applicable deadline depends on the province, the claim and the relevant dates. An insurer’s internal appeal deadline is separate from a legal limitation period. Contact us promptly so we can check the deadlines that apply to you.
How much could my claim be worth?
There is no standard amount. We consider missed payments, the monthly benefit, how long coverage may continue, policy deductions and the evidence. Before any settlement, we explain the offer and what it means for you.
Will I have to go to court?
Starting a legal claim does not automatically mean going to trial. A majority of these matters are resolved through negotiation or mediation. We prepare the case, explain what may be required of you and handle the process for you.
Can I receive CPP Disability and LTD together?
You may qualify for both, but they have different rules. Your LTD policy may allow deductions for CPP Disability payments, including retroactive benefits. Read about how CPP Disability and LTD interact.
Can you help if I am unionized or self-employed?
We may be able to help. For unionized workers, we review the insurance plan and collective agreement. If you are self-employed, we review your private policy and work duties. Learn about claims for self-employed professionals.
Which disability benefits does your firm handle?
Our team handles disability insurance disputes and CPP Disability matters. We do not handle workers’ compensation, provincial disability assistance or veterans’ benefit claims. For Disability Tax Credit information and assistance options, visit our DTC guide.
Understand Your Benefits and Options
Looking for information first? These guides explain different benefits and common claim questions.
Long-term disability
Other disability benefits
Denied doesn’t mean defeated.
Leave the Insurance Company to Us.
Tell us what your insurer has said. Our disability lawyers will explain whether we can help and what your next step is.