Janine Gawryl

Attorney Janine Gawryl graduated from Northeastern University School of Law in 1977, and was admitted to practice in the New Hampshire State Courts and the U S District Court that same year. Upon graduation, she worked for the New Hampshire Bar Association. She began private practice in litigation in 1983. Attorney Gawryl became a principal of the law firm of Richards, Gawryl & MacAllister in 1989. In 1995, Attorneys Gawryl and MacAllister formed Gawryl & MacAllister. Attorney Gawryl was one of the first New Hampshire attorneys to be selected by the Superior Court to be a court mediator as part of the Court Rule 170 mediation program.

Attorney Gawryl has served on numerous National and local New Hampshire Bar Association committees. She is a member of the NH Association for Justice, and the NH Bar Foundation. She has also served as a member of the Board of Directors of several non-profit agencies and has been active in local government. Attorney Gawryl was instrumental in organizing the Webster-Batchelder Inn of Court, a local chapter of the American Inns of Court. It was the first Inn of Court established in the State of New Hampshire. She served as the administrator for the Webster-Batchelder Inn of Court from its inception in 1992 until 2009. Attorney Gawryl has successfully argued numerous cases in the N.H trial courts, appeals before the New Hampshire
Supreme Court, and cases before the U.S. District Court for the District of New Hampshire. She has won numerous local and national commendations.

Attorney Gawryl's current practice area now is focused on disability law. This includes filing initial claims for Social Security Disability, and appealing Social Security Disability claims that have been denied. It also includes appealing the wrongful denials of disability benefits made by Short Term and Long Term Disability plans. She welcomes new clients with medical disabilities who need stable income to survive. Medical disabilities can be either physical or mental or both. Most often, disability results from a combination of physical impairments, psychological and other factors. Sometimes disabled individuals cannot speak for themselves. She welcomes the opportunity to speak with family members, medical providers, or social service agencies who are trying to help individuals with disabilities.

Social Security: There are several types of Social Security Disability benefits that may be payable to a person with disabilities. Attorney Gawryl will identify the types of benefits the person may be eligible for. The application process, and the appeal process, is long and often difficult to understand. The Social Security Administration primarily looks for “objective” medical evidence, but many applications for disability are based upon “subjective” complaints such as pain, or fatigue which cannot be easily measured. Many applications are denied and the denials follow the individual into the future. This may result in the loss of future benefits. It helps to have an attorney as early in the process as possible. Janine Gawryl has a strong record
of successes with difficult claims. She has been a longtime member of the National Organization of Social Security Claimants Representatives (NOSSCR).

Short Term and Long Term Disability Benefits: Many people purchase private Short Term and Long Term Disability Insurance Policies to replace lost earnings when they are sick or injured and have to miss work. Some employers provide these policies or plans as an employee benefit. Sometimes employers require the employee to pay a portion of the cost of these plans, and sometimes not. Short Term Plans usually replace lost income for 3 to 6 months depending upon the Plan. Long Term Plans have an "elimination period" of 3 to 6 months before lost earnings are replaced. The Long Term Plans generally replace lost earnings to the age of 65. Each plan is different. It is important for people with these plans to get a copy of the actual plan itself, to read the terms, the definition of disability under the plan, and whether or not deductions are made for other income received by the person while they are sick or injured.

Areas Of Practice

Social Security Disability
STD/LTD

Bar Admissions

New Hampshire, 1977
U.S. District Court District of New Hampshire, 1977

Education

Northeastern University School of Law, Boston, Massachusetts
- J.D., Doctor of Jurisprudence - 00/1977
Antioch University, Yellow Springs, Ohio
- B.A., Bachelor of Arts - 00/1974

Representative Cases

Grabowski v. Grabowski, 422 A.2d 1040, 1980, N.H., 1980149566
Panas v. Harakis, 129 NH 591; 529 A.2d 976, NH (1987 - False Imprisonment; Mental Injury; and Remitter: Whether $1.2 Million jury verdict was proper), 1987, N.H., 1987103707
Costa v. SSA, 2014 DNH 173, Case no. 13-cv-241-SM (decided August 19, 2014)
Collins v. Astrue, 2014 DNH 146, Case no. 13-cv-470-LM (decided June 24, 2014)
Martinez v. Colvin, 2014 DNH 51, Case no. 13-cv-144-LM (decided March 10, 2014)
Brown v. Colvin, 2014 DNH 60, Case no. 12-cv-2345-PB (decided June 28, 2013)
Crandlemere v. Astrue, 2013 DNH 7, Case no. 11-cv-529-SM (decided January 15, 2013)
Figueroa v. Astrue, 2012 DNH 198, Case no. 11-cv-541-SM (decided December 10, 2012)
Ault v. Astrue, 2012 DNH 5, Case no. 10-cv-553-JL (decided January 10, 2012)
Bica v. Astrue, 2011 DNH 193, Case no. 11-cv-86-JD (decided November 17, 2011)
Rossiter v. Astrue, 2011 DNH 115, Case no. 10-cv-349-JL (decided July 15, 2011)
Mendoza v. Astrue, 2011 DNH 73, Case no. 10-cv-357-SM (decided May 10. 2011)
Appeal of Carnahan, 160 NH 73; 993A.2d 224, 2010
Devin v. Astrue, 2009 DNH 85, Case no. 08-cv-242-PB (decided May 6, 2009)
Laborer's Dist Council Pension Fund v. Regan, 2007 DNH 22, 474 F. Supp. 2d 279; 2007 U.S. Dist LEXIS 11778 (decided February 20, 2007)
In re Estate of Crabtree, 155 NH 565; 926A.2d 825, 2007
In re Rossino, 153 NH 282 (Feb. 24, 2006)
In re Rossini, 153 NH 367; 899 A.2d 233 (April 2006)
Fillmore v. Fillmore, 147 NH 283; 786 A.2d 849, 2001
Appeal of Fournier, 147 NH 275; 786 A.2d 854, 2001
Sommers v. Sommers, 143 NH 686; 742 A.2d 94 (July 2, 1999 - Marital: Modification of Property Distribution under Divorce Decree)
Dizoglio v. Digital Equip. Corp. Disability Income Protection Plan, 1999 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 21778 (Case no. 98-402-V) (decided July 23, 1999)
Appeal of Briggs, 138 NH 623; 645 A.2d 655 (July 6, 1994- Worker's Compensation: Established entitlement to benefits for Repetitive Stress Injuries)
Morancy v. Morancy, 134 NH 493; 593 A.2d 1158, NH (1991-Torts: established standard for Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress claims)
Munoz v. Trans World Airlines, 662 F.Supp. 950, 1987 U.S. Dist LEXIS 5558 (DNH 1987)
Merchants Mutual Insurance Co. v. Laighton Homes, LLC, 153 NH 485, 2006
Berry v. Watchtower, 152 NH 407 (2005 - Whether a religious organization has a common law duty to report child abuse to secular authorities; note: Marci Hamilton orally)
Osman v. Gagnon, 152 NH 359 (2005 - Establishing res judicata limits to small claims court decision)
Alton v SSA, DNH 044 (14-cv-41-LM), 2015
Sullivan v SSA, DNH 048 (14-cv-06-JL), 2015
Warneka v SSA, DNH 071 (14-cv-022-PB), 2015
Shaw v SSA, DNH 047 (13-cv-503-JL), 2015
Morse v SSA, DNH 055 (14-cv-18-LM), 2015
Riel v SSA Acting Commissioner (18-cv- 00278 – LM), 2019
Briand v SSA Acting commissioner, 2017 DNH 159 (16-cv-313-PB), 2017

Honors And Awards

President's Award, New Hampshire Bar Association, 1990
Harrison Tweed, American Bar Association, 1981
J. Ross Award, 1991
The Best of the 603 - voted Silver Best Social Security Disability Lawyer, 2021
Super Lawyer in the area of Social Security Disability in 2021 and 2022

Professional Associations And Memberships

New Hampshire Bar Association, Member
Nashua Bar Association, Member
New Hampshire Association for Justice, Member
Daniel Webster-Batchelder American Inn of Court, Former Founding Administrator, 1983 to 2009
NOSSCR