About Us

WHO WE ARE

We're nationally recognized life insurance claims specialists.

The Claim services we provide are extensive and specific to our client’s needs. We examine claims and determine what has to be done to get them paid. Then we take action.

Our firm will file claims, do medical records reviews, examine autopsy results, offer medical opinions, get proper authority to release medical information, give expert opinions, appeal denied claims, calculate claim offers, and many additional efforts.

We have more life insurance claim experience than any other firm and we know exactly what facts and evidence are needed to get insurers to pay. We’ve recovered more than $250 million from claims that were at first denied. We can do the same for you. We’re here to help.

Center for Life Insurance Disputes

The Center for Life Insurance Disputes was borne out of several experiences whereby life insurance beneficiaries were wrongly being denied death claim money intended for them by deceased loved ones. The insurance companies were only looking for reasons to deny claims. At the time, the only choice these people had was to engage in a lengthy and stressful lawsuit or accept the insurers’ decision.

Stephen C. Burgess merged his insurance industry experience with an extensive legal background and from it came a better solution: find all the reasons why a claim should be paid, present it directly to the insurance company, keep clients out of lawsuits and put money into their pocket quickly.

Now, instead of filing lawsuits, paying huge attorney fees and waiting years for a meager settlement, the beneficiaries of claims have a better, faster and less expensive option for full recovery of life insurance claims, accidental death claims and critical illness claims.

The Center for Life Insurance Disputes represents clients throughout the United States and consists of a team of the very most qualified medical, investigative and insurance professionals working for one common goal – to get our client’s insurance claims paid.

Meet Our Team

Steve Burgess

President

Stephen C. Burgess is the founder and President of the Center for Life Insurance Disputes. Mr. Burgess has a 30-year career in the life insurance industry including being designated as one of only a few Life Insurance Analysts in the industry. He spent 13 years as a Sale Manager and Regional Director for Penn Mutual Life Insurance Company. In his positions he was responsible for the underwriting and issuance of 1000’s of life insurance policies. His experience in both underwriting and claims has helped him become one of the foremost experts of life insurance claims in the US. He’s regularly engaged by attorneys throughout the US to offer expert opinions.

Mr. Burgess has consulted or offered expert testimony in over 200 life insurance lawsuits including such notable cases as the Phoenix Home Life Variable Insurance Company vs The Price Dawe 2006 Insurance Trust, Dukes Bridge LLC vs Security Life of Denver, and Dixhuit Fondation vs Prudential Life Insurance. As the President of the Center for Life Insurance Disputes Mr. Burgess brings all of his life insurance experience and is personally involved in every client’s claim.

Dr. Rodney Richmond

RPH, MS, BCGP, FASCP

Dr. Richmond is an associate professor of pharmacy practice at Harding University College of Pharmacy, and owner of a private US-based pharmacy consulting firm. Dr. Richmond received his bachelor’s degree in pharmacy from West Virginia University, master’s degree in pharmacy practice from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and completed his pharmacy residency at North Carolina Memorial Hospital.Dr. Richmond is a board-certified geriatric pharmacist and his practice experience has encompassed a breadth of pharmacy settings including ambulatory, community, hospital, home health, hospice, long-term care, and academia to name a few. He has taught medical, nursing and pharmacy school at institutions that also include Marshall University, Yale University, and the University of Pittsburgh.

A pharmacoepidemiologic assessment and prevention of drug-related morbidity has been the primary theme throughout Dr. Richmond’s work experience, and he’s lectured extensively on proper drug selection and issues related to drug safety.

Mariann F. Cosby

DNP, MPA, RN, PHN, CEN, NE-BC, LNCC, CLCP, CCM, MSCCP

Dr. Mariann Cosby has been a Registered Nurse and Public Health Nurse since 1980. Mariann holds advanced degrees in Nursing and Health Care Administration. Advanced certifications include: Legal Nurse Consultant Certified (LNCC), Certified Life Care Planner (CLCP), Certified Case Manager (CCM),Medicare Set-Aside Consultant Certified (MSCC),Certified Emergency Nurse (CEN), Nursing Executive – Board Certified (NE-BC), California Credentialed School Nurse, and Special Teaching Authorization in Health. Dr. Cosby also holds certificates in Case Management and Quality Management. Verifications include provider of Advanced Cardiac Life Support; Pediatric Advanced Life Support, and Basic Life Support. Mariann has been a Registered Nurse for 38 years and remains clinically active. Her acute care experience includes: Emergency, Trauma, Critical Care, Medical-Surgical, Geriatrics, and Pediatrics; along with nursing administration, case management, discharge planning, home health, geriatrics, elder care and abuse. In addition, Mariann is an adjunct nursing faculty member, and is approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing to teach general nursing, pediatrics, and geriatrics.

Robert B. Sklaroff

MD

Dr. Sklaroff has been Board-Certified in Internal Medicine since 1977, Medical Oncology since 1979 and Independent Medical Examiners since 2009. Dr. Sklaroff’s education includes completing his Under-Graduate degree at Pennsylvania State University/Thomas Jefferson University under the Five-Year Cooperative Pre-Medical/Medical Program. He completed his Graduate degree at Thomas Jefferson University in Philadelphia. And, he completed his Post-Graduate education at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, in Internal Medicine Internship/Residency.Additionally, Dr. Sklaroff completed the Medical Oncology/Hematology Fellowship at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York, and Hematology/Medical Oncology Fellowship at Hahnemann University in Philadelphia.

Current certifications include the National Board of Medical Examiners, Diplomate, American Board of Internal Medicine, Diplomate and American Board of Internal Medicine, Diplomate, Medical Oncology. Today Dr. Sklaroff runs and owns a successful private practice in Philadelphia, Robert B. Sklaroff, MD Associates.

James Lawrence Pearle

MD

Dr. Pearle is Board Certified in Pulmonary Medicine and Internal Medicine. Dr. Pearle received his bachelor’s degree in Biology from the University of Chicago, his medical degree from New York Medical College in New York, he completed his Residency at George Washington University in Washington DC, and his Fellowship in Pulmonary Medicine at University of Illinois Medical Center in Chicago.Dr. Pearle’s current professional positions include Medical Director of Kindred Hospital in Brea, California, President and Medical Director for California Research Medical Group, Inc. in Fullerton, California, Medical Director at Vitalcare Neuro-sub-acute Unit in Brea, California, Director of Respiratory Therapy at Brea Community Hospital in Brea, California, President at Southern California Hospitalist Network, Inc. in Anaheim, California, and President of Western Pulmonary Medical Group, Inc. in Fullerton, California.

Dr. Ricky Norwood

DNP, MSN, MSBH, RN, FNP-BC

Dr. Norwood is an assistant clinical professor for the Master of Science – Nurse Practitioner and Master of Health Services – Physician Assistant degree programs at the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing at UC Davis. In a unique dual academic and clinical appointment, Dr. Norwood divides his time between the School of Nursing and the Sacramento County Health Center. Prior to joining the School of Nursing, Dr. Norwood served as a part-time associate professor at Samuel Merritt University in Sacramento, California. He retired in the grade of Major from the U.S. Army in December 2010, after serving 21 distinguished years.

Dr. Norwood graduated from the University of Texas at El Paso with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. He graduated from the University of the Incarnate Word, San Antonio, Texas, with a Master of Science in Nursing, with a focus in perioperative trauma nursing. He earned a Master of Science in Nursing – Family Nurse Practitioner from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland, and went on to receive his Doctor of Nursing Practice and Master of Science Behavior Health from the University of San Francisco.

Dr. James C. Norris

Ph.D. Pharmacology & Toxicology, D.A.B.T., EURC

Dr. Norris received his bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from Montevallo University, his M.S. in Biochemistry and Chemistry from the University of Mississippi Medical Center, and his Ph.D. in Pharmacology and Toxicology from the University of Mississippi Medical Center. He holds certifications as a diplomate of the American Board of Toxicology (D.A.B.T.) and as an EU Registered Toxicologist (ERT).

Dr. Norris’ distinguished employment history includes General Manager of Charles River Arkansas Preclinical Laboratory, Assistant Vice President of Toxicology & Carcinogenesis Division at IITR in Chicago, Head of Inhalation Toxicology at Covance in Harrogate, England, Toxicologist Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Senior Advisor for WuXi AppTex in Suzhou, China, and Associate Professor in the Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences in the College of Pharmacy at Harding University.

Dr. Norris’ particular areas of expertise include Carcinogenicity & Chemicals, Combustion or Fire Toxicology, General & Inhalation Toxicology, Pesticides and Pharmaceuticals (Pharmacology). Dr. Norris is a member of the British Toxicology Society™, the Society of Toxicology™, and past Chairperson of American Society of Testing & Materials Subcommittee™.

Over $250 million recovered. We get claims paid—fast, fairly, and without legal fees.

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