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Court revives ERISA suit against Washington University
A federal appeals court has revived part a suit in which employees of Washington University in St. Louis alleged the university mismanaged their retirement savings plan.
Civil Practice: ERISA-Religious Exemption-Jurisdiction
Where a nurse challenged the ERISA plan of her religiously affiliated hospital employer as underfunded and in violation of the law, and the district court dismissed the case for lack of jurisdiction, the appellate court holds that whether a plan is an ERISA plan is an element of the plaintiff’s case and not a jurisdictional […]
Civil Practice: Standing-Injury in Fact-ERISA
Where appellants filed an action under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 claiming that an insurer abused its discretion by partially denying their claim for air ambulance benefits under an employee health plan, the injury-in-fact component of standing was satisfied, and the appellants also had statutory standing to bring an action to recover […]
Civil Practice: ERISA-Duty of Prudence-Sufficiency of Allegations
Where plaintiffs in an ERISA action failed to plead a plausible breach of prudence by the trustee defendants, the district court properly dismissed the plaintiffs’ duty-to-monitor claims because the claims could not survive without a sufficiently pleaded theory of an underlying breach. Judgment is affirmed. Vigeant v. Meek (MLW No. 74742/Case No. 18-3616 – 12 […]
Civil Practice: ERISA-Collective Bargaining Agreements-Costs
Where trustees of three employee benefit funds sued a corporation, its affiliates and an owner in a dispute regarding alleged breaches of the collective bargaining agreements, the trustees did not show that the affiliates served as the corporation’s alter ego or that a joint venture or joint enterprise was entered, and the unions did not […]
Civil Practice: Fiduciary-ERISA
Where plaintiff, who invested in an ERISA plan, argued that a service provider to the plan violated ERISA, the district court erred in finding that the provider was not a fiduciary when it set the composite crediting rate, so the judgment is reversed. Judgment is reversed. Rozo v. Principal Life Insurance Company (MLW No. 74481/Case […]
Civil Practice: Class Action-Settlement Agreement-ERISA
Where in an ERISA class action an objector challenged the certification of a settlement class and the approval of the settlement agreement, the plaintiffs had standing to bring the class action, and the district court did not abuse its discretion in certifying the class because it was brought on behalf of the plan and requested […]
Insurance: ERISA-Denial of Benefits-Discretionary Power
Plaintiff appealed from the adverse grant of summary judgment in her ERISA claim arising from the denial of benefits. Where the plan reserved discretionary power to construe terms or make eligibility determinations, the district court properly granted summary judgment to defendant where there was no abuse of discretion. Judgment is affirmed. Presi v. Ascension Health […]
Administrative: ERISA-Termination of Benefits-Disabling Physical Condition
Where a claimant of long-term disability benefits under a plan governed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act challenged the termination of benefits, the district court did not err in finding that substantial evidence supported the decision to terminate based on the exhaustion of mental illness benefits and the lack of a disability physical condition. […]
Administrative: ERISA-Exhaustion of Remedies-Fiduciary Duty
Where a claimant challenged the termination of her disability benefits, the judgment is affirmed because the claimant failed to administratively exhaust her claim of breach of fiduciary duty. Judgment is affirmed. Jones v. Aetna Life Insurance Company (MLW No. 74242/Case No. 18-1851 – 4 pages) (U.S. Court of Appeals, 8th Circuit, Benton, J.) Appealed from […]
Insurance: ERISA-Payment of Benefits to Domestic Partner-Deference to Plan Administrators
Defendants appealed from the declaratory judgment that ruled that defendants paid group life-insurance benefits to the wrong person. Terry Engle died in a car crash while holding accidental death and life-insurance policies with defendants. Defendants contacted Terry’s mother, who informed defendants that Terry lived with a domestic partner; defendants interpreted the plans to consider a [&helli[...]
Administrative: ERISA-Life Insurance-Optional Benefits Program
Where an insurer and employer challenged an award of benefits, costs and attorney fees in an action brought under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act, the employee was enrolled in an optional life insurance benefit program after falsely certifying in a form that he had not been diagnosed or treated for high blood pressure, and […]
Latest Opinion Digests
- Criminal Law: Child Abuse-Sufficiency Of Evidence-Closing Argument
- Civil Rights: Religious Freedom-RLUIPA-Res Judicata
- Civil Practice: Res Judicata-Stop Work Order
- Immigration: Drug Conviction-Removability-Overbreadth of State Offense
- Civil Practice: Asset Forfeiture-Sanctions
- Civil Rights: Due Process-Failure to State Claim
- Probate : Revocable Trust – Amendment – Reformation
- Employer – Employee : Unpaid Commissions – At-Will Status
- Criminal Law : Post-Conviction Relief – Effectiveness Of Counsel – Conflict Of Interest
- Appellate Practice : Jurisdiction – Final Judgment
- Domestic Relations : Parenting Plan – Child Support
- Criminal Law : Post-Conviction Relief – Guilty Plea – Sentence Advice
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