Attorneys Edward O. Comitz and Derek R. Funk
Recognized by Super Lawyers for 2023

Attorney Ed Comitz has been named a Southwest Super Lawyer for 2023 for the twelfth consecutive year for excellence in the field of insurance coverage.  Attorney Derek Funk has also been recognized as a Rising Star in the field of insurance coverage by Super Lawyers.

Super Lawyers is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement.  The selection is a multiphase process comprised of independent research, peer nominations and peer evaluations.  Only 5% of attorneys receive a Super Lawyers distinction, and only 2.5% of attorneys receive the Rising Star distinction.

 

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Firm Named #1 Healthcare Law Firm

We are pleased to announce that we have been named Arizona’s #1 Healthcare Law Firm by Ranking Arizona: The Best of Arizona Business for 2023.

The Firm outranked other regional, national and international firms in Arizona, due to Ed Comitz’s nationally acclaimed disability insurance practice, which exclusively focuses on helping professionals (primarily physicians and dentists) collect their rightful disability benefits under private, “own-occupation” policies.

 

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Ed Comitz and Patrick Stanley Named Top Lawyers in Arizona

Members Ed Comitz and Pat Stanley have been named two of Arizona’s top 100 lawyers for 2023 by AZ Business Magazine.

Selections were made in conjunction with industry experts, with an algorithm that ranked the attorneys based on professional ratings, impact on their law firm, impact on the profession and community involvement.

 

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Comitz | Stanley Attorneys Recognized
by Phoenix Magazine as Top Lawyers

 

Comitz | Stanley attorneys Ed Comitz, Pat Stanley, and Derek Funk have all been named Top Lawyers by Phoenix Magazine. The prestigious award was peer-selected by other attorneys in the Valley.  Comitz | Stanley is honored to be recognized and takes pride in representing dentists, physicians and other professionals Valley-wide, as well as nationally.



Patrick T. Stanley Promoted to Equity Membership
Firm is Now Officially Known as Comitz | Stanley

The Firm is Pleased to Announce Patrick T. Stanley has been Promoted to Equity Membership and the Firm is Now Officially Known as Comitz | Stanley.

Patrick Stanley has extensive experience assisting doctors with their own occupation disability insurance claims.  His practice also focuses on assisting doctors, practice groups and healthcare-related businesses meet their legal needs. Mr. Stanley holds an AV Preeminent rating from the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory and has been named “Best of Arizona” in Healthcare and Insurance by Arizona Business Magazine.

 

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Attorneys Edward O. Comitz and Derek R. Funk
Recognized by Super Lawyers for 2021

Attorney Ed Comitz has been named a Southwest Super Lawyer for 2021 for the tenth consecutive year for excellence in the field of insurance coverage.  Attorney Derek Funk has also been recognized as a Rising Star in the field of insurance coverage by Super Lawyers.

Super Lawyers is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement.  The selection is a multiphase process comprised of independent research, peer nominations and peer evaluations.  Only 5% of attorneys receive a Super Lawyers distinction, and only 2.5% of attorneys receive the Rising Star distinction.

Comitz | Stanley’s primary office is located in Scottsdale, Arizona and the firm also has a satellite office in Salt Lake City, Utah.

 

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Disability Insurance: Do I Really Need It?
A Disability Insurance Attorney’s Perspective

Dentists have unique risk factors as part of their occupation that can make them susceptible to disabilities, including musculoskeletal injuries.  Often, the nature of these disabilities can present challenges if and when it comes time to file a claim with your disability insurer.

Attorney Derek Funk’s recent article in the Utah Dental Association’s publication, UDA Action, discusses the most common reasons dentist file for disability, things to be aware of both before and during the course of a claim, and how to know if you have a complex claim and may need to speak with a disability attorney.

Click here to read the full article.



The Practice X-Factor Podcast with Dr. Tyler Williams “Putting your Health and Future First with Derek R. Funk”

Derek Funk, Esq. recently sat down with Dr. Tyler Williams, D.D.S., host of the popular The Practice X-Factor podcast, to talk about common challenges dentists face when it comes to their individual disability insurance claims, including:

      • When and why it makes sense to hire an attorney;
      • Why dentist claims can be particularly complex; and
      • Common disability pitfalls that many dentists are unaware of.

Episodes can be accessed on https://yourpracticegrowth.com/podcasts/, and via iTunes, Google Play, Spotify and other podcast platforms.

 

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Edward O. Comitz Named
Southwest Super Lawyer for 2020

Ed Comitz has been named a 2020 Southwest Super Lawyer for excellence in the field of insurance coverage for the ninth consecutive year.

Super Lawyers is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement.  The selection is a multiphase process comprised of independent research, peer nominations and peer evaluations.  Only 5% of attorneys in the Southwest receive this distinction.

 

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Firm Named #1 Healthcare Law Firm

We are pleased to announce that we have been named Arizona’s #1 Healthcare Law Firm by Ranking Arizona: The Best of Arizona Business for 2020.

The Firm outranked other regional, national and international firms in Arizona, due to Ed Comitz’s nationally acclaimed disability insurance practice, which exclusively focuses on helping professionals (primarily physicians and dentists) collect their rightful disability benefits under private, “own-occupation” policies.

 

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Ed Comitz Selected as 2020 Arizona Business Leader

Ed Comitz has again been named one of the Top 500 Arizona Business Leaders in 2020 by Arizona Business Magazine.

Over 5,000 names were considered for this prestigious honor, winnowed down to only 500 of the best and brightest Arizona leaders. Ed was one of only five individuals selected as one of the best attorneys in the field of health care law, based on his nationally acclaimed disability insurance practice, which is one of the largest and most successful in the country.  Ed exclusively represents professionals (primarily physicians, dentists, corporate executives, athletes and other attorneys), and tirelessly represents policyholders to overturn and avoid disability claim denials.

Editor in Chief, Michael Gossie, writes of the 500 leaders selected, “They are catalysts for Arizona’s economy. They are leaders. They are innovators. They have influence. And when they speak, they make things happen. And together, they are guiding Arizona toward greatness.”

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Disability Insurance Roulette with Edward O. Comitz:
Dentistry Uncensored with Howard Farran

Founding member Ed Comitz recently sat down with Howard Farran, DDS, MBA of Farran Media to discuss the issues dentists face when filing “own occupation” disability claims.

Dentists are uniquely susceptible to slowly progressive, degenerative disabling conditions (such as musculoskeletal conditions like degenerative disc disease) due to the physical stressors of the job. Dentists’ claims are also often targeted for denial because of high benefit amounts, particularly if they have a condition that is difficult to prove up with objective medical evidence and testing.

During the podcast, Ed addressed several topics, including:

  • Why are most of your clients dentists?
  • When am I “sick enough” to file a claim?
  • What is a true own occupation policy? Are there different types of own occupation policies?
  • What should I expect if I file a claim?

For more information,watch the podcast below

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Attorney Derek Funk to Participate in
St. Jude Research Hospital’s
Swing FORE Charity Golf Tournament

Attorney Derek Funk will be playing in the upcoming, inaugural Swing FORE St. Jude charity golf tournament at Mountain Shadows Resort in Scottsdale, Arizona on Saturday, September 14, 2019.

September is National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and you can see gold ribbons all around Phoenix raising awareness. The doctors and physicians at St. Jude Research Hospital seek to advance cures and means of prevention for pediatric diseases through research and treatment and have pioneered new surgeries, treatments, and cures used all around the world. All proceeds from the event benefit St. Jude to help ensure that patients and their families don’t have to pay for treatment, travel, housing, or food.

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Edward O. Comitz Named
Southwest Super Lawyer for 2019

Ed Comitz has been named a 2019 Southwest Super Lawyer for excellence in the field of insurance for the eighth consecutive year.

Super Lawyers is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement.  Only 5% of attorneys in the Southwest receive this distinction. The selection process is comprised of independent research, peer nominations and peer evaluations.

 

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“Do You Have a True ‘Own Occupation’ Policy?”

As a dentist, you probably have purchased at least one disability insurance policy, and you probably sought out “own occupation” coverage. However, in our experience, many dentists do not understand what their policy actually says or realize that there are several variations of “own occupation” policies. Additionally, many of the newer disability policies being sold to dentists have particular requirements and “rules” that must be followed in order to qualify for benefits.

Our latest article with Dentaltown Magazine discusses some of these pitfalls and explains why it is important to know what your policy says before filing a claim. Read the full article at Dentaltown today.

https://www.dentaltown.com/magazine/article/7481/do-you-have-a-true-own-occupation-policy



Doctor Money Matters Podcast
Q & A with Ed Comitz, Esq.
What Every Physician Should Know About Disability Claims

Ed Comitz recently sat down with Dr. Tarang Patel, host of the popular Doctor Money Matters Podcast, to talk through some of the most common questions physicians have about filing disability claims, such as:

  • What should a physician look for in a disability policy?
  • How hard it is for a physician to collect disability benefits?
  • Do I need a lawyer to file a disability claim?
  • What is the disability claims process like?
  • If I have an “own occupation” policy, can I work in a different occupation and still collect disability benefits?
  • What are the most common pitfalls that lead to physician’s claims being denied?

Click here to listen to Part 1 of the Podcast: https://www.doctormoneymatters.com/episode44/ and here to listen to Part 2: https://www.doctormoneymatters.com/episode45/.

Episodes can also be accessed on www.drmoneymatters.com, and via iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher and other podcast platforms along with Facebook and YouTube.

 

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Ed Comitz Selected as 2019 Arizona Business Leader

Ed Comitz has again been named one of the Top 500 Arizona Business Leaders in 2019 by Arizona Business Magazine. The 500 business leaders selected came from a pool over of 5,000 names considered. Ed was one of only five individuals selected as a leader in health care law, based on his nationally acclaimed disability insurance practice, which exclusively represents professionals (primarily physicians, dentists, corporate executives, athletes and other attorneys), and his tireless representation of policyholders on the most difficult cases.

Editor in Chief, Michael Gossie, writes of the 500 leaders selected, “They are catalysts for Arizona’s economy. They are leaders. They are innovators. They have influence. And when they speak, they make things happen. And together, they are guiding Arizona toward greatness.”

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What Every Dentist Needs to Know About Disability Insurance

Dentists have a high likelihood of filing a disability claim at some point in their career, which is not surprising given the unique demands of the profession. Attorney Derek Funk’s article in Dentist’s Money Digest discusses what dentists should look for when reviewing new or existing policies and what to expect when filing a disability claim. Read the full article at Dentist’s Money Digest today.

“What Every Dentist Needs to Know About Disability Insurance”

If you would like to set up a consultation, please call or e-mail our office.

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Can You Collect Disability Benefits For Burnout?

Physicians experiencing burnout can put both themselves and their patients at risk if they continue to practice. However, it is important to recognize that there are several degrees between ordinary stress and fatigue and a disabling condition, and where you fall on that scale is something that your insurance company can (and likely will) misconstrue, if you are not precise when reporting your claim. Attorney Derek Funk’s article in MD Magazine discusses some of the challenges faced by physicians who file disability claims due to mental health conditions and limitations. Read the full article at MD Magazine today.

            “Can You Collect Disability Benefits for Burnout?”

If you would like to set up a consultation, please call or e-mail our office.

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Edward O. Comitz Named
Southwest Super Lawyer for 2018

Ed Comitz has been named a 2018 Southwest Super Lawyer for excellence in the field of insurance for the seventh consecutive year.

Super Lawyers is a rating service of outstanding lawyers from more than 70 practice areas who have attained a high-degree of peer recognition and professional achievement.  Only 5% of attorneys in the Southwest receive this distinction. The selection process is comprised of independent research, peer nominations and peer evaluations.

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