LTD Benefits Must Be Reinstated, Utah Federal Judge Determines
SALT LAKE CITY - A Utah federal judge on Sept. 24 determined that a disability claimant's long-term disability (LTD) benefits must be reinstated because the insurer's termination of benefits was arbitrary and capricious based on the lack of medical evidence to support its termination (Don Foust v. Lincoln National Life Insurance Co., No. 17-1208, D. Utah, 2019 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 164576). (Source: LexisNexis® Mealey's™ Disability Insurance Legal News)
Source: LexisNexis® Mealey's™ Disability Insurance Legal News - October 15, 2019 Category: Medical Law Source Type: news
Denial Of LTD Benefits Was Arbitrary, Capricious, Federal Judge Determines
ASHLAND, Ky. - A Kentucky federal judge on Sept. 24 remanded a long-term disability (LTD) claim and life insurance with waiver of premium (LWOP) claim to the disability plan administrator after determining that the administrator's termination of LTD and LWOP benefits was arbitrary and capricious (Lewis Bustetter v. Standard Insurance Co., No. 18-1, E.D. Ky., 2019 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 163075). (Source: LexisNexis® Mealey's™ Disability Insurance Legal News)
Source: LexisNexis® Mealey's™ Disability Insurance Legal News - October 15, 2019 Category: Medical Law Source Type: news
Federal Judge Reinstates LTD Benefits, Says Insurer's Termination Is Not Supported
AKRON, Ohio - An Ohio federal judge on Sept. 11 reinstated a disability claimant's long-term disability (LTD) benefits after determining that the termination of her benefits was arbitrary and capricious because the insurer selectively reviewed the medical evidence to support its denial (Kristina Rossiter v. Life Insurance Company of North America, No. 18-1421, N.D. Ohio, 2019 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 155126). (Source: LexisNexis® Mealey's™ Disability Insurance Legal News)
Source: LexisNexis® Mealey's™ Disability Insurance Legal News - October 15, 2019 Category: Medical Law Source Type: news
Termination Of Disability Benefits Was Not Arbitrary, Capricious, Judge Says
PORTLAND, Maine - A disability insurer's termination of long-term disability (LTD) benefits based on its finding that the claimant was not disabled from performing the duties of any occupation was reasonable based on the medical evidence and was not arbitrary and capricious, a Maine federal judge said Sept. 26 (Mitchell A. Weeman v. Life Insurance Company of North America, No. 18-278, D. Me., 2019 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 165369). (Source: LexisNexis® Mealey's™ Disability Insurance Legal News)
Source: LexisNexis® Mealey's™ Disability Insurance Legal News - October 15, 2019 Category: Medical Law Source Type: news
High Court Denies Disability Claimant's Petition On 'Regular Occupation' Ruling
WASHINGTON, D.C. - The U.S. Supreme Court on Oct. 7 refused to review the Fifth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals' ruling in favor of a disability insurer on the insurer's interpretation of the term "regular occupation" (Juanita Nichols v. Reliance Standard Life Insurance Co., No. 19-242, U.S. Sup.). (Source: LexisNexis® Mealey's™ Disability Insurance Legal News)
Source: LexisNexis® Mealey's™ Disability Insurance Legal News - October 15, 2019 Category: Medical Law Source Type: news
Florida Federal Judge Allows Bad Faith Claim In Disability Dispute To Proceed
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - A Florida federal judge on Sept. 9 determined that a bad faith claim can proceed in a disability and life insurance dispute because the plaintiffs seeking benefits under the policies sufficiently alleged facts to support the bad faith claim (Douglas Kuber v. Berkshire Life Insurance Company of America, No. 19-80211, S.D. Fla., 2019 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 154379). (Source: LexisNexis® Mealey's™ Disability Insurance Legal News)
Source: LexisNexis® Mealey's™ Disability Insurance Legal News - October 15, 2019 Category: Medical Law Source Type: news
Disability Claimant's Suit To Remain In Massachusetts, Federal Judge Says
WORCESTER, Mass. - A Massachusetts federal judge on Sept. 20 denied a motion to transfer a disability claimant's suit to Kansas federal court after determining that the disability insurer defendants failed to prove that private or public interest factors weigh in favor of transferring the case (Mary MacNaughton v. Paul Revere Life Insurance Co.& Unum Group, No. 19-40016, D. Mass., 2019 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 160454). (Source: LexisNexis® Mealey's™ Disability Insurance Legal News)
Source: LexisNexis® Mealey's™ Disability Insurance Legal News - October 15, 2019 Category: Medical Law Source Type: news
Texas Federal Magistrate Says Tortious Interference Claim Should Proceed
AUSTIN, Texas - A Texas federal magistrate judge on Oct. 3 recommended denying a disability insurer's motion to dismiss a claim for tortious interference with a business relationship after determining that the claim is not preempted by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act and that the disability claimant sufficiently alleged facts in support of his claim that the disability insurer interfered with his relationship with a consultant and an attorney who were handling his claim for Social Security disability benefits (Juan Pensado v. Life Insurance Company of North America et al., No. 19-157, W.D. Texas, 2019 U.S. Dist...
Source: LexisNexis® Mealey's™ Disability Insurance Legal News - October 15, 2019 Category: Medical Law Source Type: news
Extra-Record Discovery Request Granted In Disability Dispute
GREENBELT, Md. - A Maryland federal judge on Sept. 5 issued a letter order granting a disability claimant's motion for extra-record discovery after determining that the claimant met her burden of establishing that the administrative record does not provide sufficient evidence to address her claim that the disability insurer's termination of benefits was affected by a conflict of interest (Holly Chughtai v. Metropolitan Life Insurance Co., No. 19-848, D. Md., 2019 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 154304). (Source: LexisNexis® Mealey's™ Disability Insurance Legal News)
Source: LexisNexis® Mealey's™ Disability Insurance Legal News - October 15, 2019 Category: Medical Law Source Type: news
Vapers – like smokers – may now pay more for life insurance
Insurance company Prudential will treat users of e-cigarettes like smokers, making their policies more expensive (Source: Health News: CBSNews.com)
Source: Health News: CBSNews.com - October 10, 2019 Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news
AIA launches initiative to promote sleep sufficiency in the APAC region
AIA, the largest public listed pan-Asian life insurance group, yesterday announced in Singapore a new initiative designed to help combat sleep deprivation – a critical health issue in Asia. The initiative has a hashtag called #OneMoreHour, aims to raise awareness about the health benefits associated with getting sufficient sleep. (Source: mobihealthnews)
Source: mobihealthnews - September 17, 2019 Category: Information Technology Source Type: news
Disability Insurer Did Not Err In Denying Benefits Under Any-Occupation Standard
MILWAUKEE - A disability insurer's denial of long-term disability (LTD) benefits was not arbitrary and capricious because the insurer reasonably concluded that a claimant was not disabled from performing the duties of any occupation, a Wisconsin federal judge said Aug. 26 (Christopher Wilcox v. Aetna Life Insurance Co., No. 18-463, E.D. Wis., 2019 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 144903). (Source: LexisNexis® Mealey's™ Disability Insurance Legal News)
Source: LexisNexis® Mealey's™ Disability Insurance Legal News - September 9, 2019 Category: Medical Law Source Type: news
Insurer Properly Denied Request For Additional LTD Benefits, Judge Says
HARRISBURG, Pa. - A disability insurer did not act arbitrarily and capriciously in denying a claim for additional long-term disability (LTD) benefits after the claimant exhausted the plan's 24-month maximum benefit period because the insurer reasonably found that the claimant did not provide objective evidence to support a continuing disability, a Pennsylvania federal judge said Aug. 15 (Brendan Roden-Reynolds v. Metropolitan Life Insurance Co., et al., No. 18-0897, M.D. Pa., 2019 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 137752). (Source: LexisNexis® Mealey's™ Disability Insurance Legal News)
Source: LexisNexis® Mealey's™ Disability Insurance Legal News - September 9, 2019 Category: Medical Law Source Type: news
STD Claim Remanded; Claimant Denied Full, Fair Review, Judge Says
LAS VEGAS - A Nevada federal judge on Aug. 8 remanded a short-term disability (STD) claim to the plan administrator because the record reflects that the claimant was denied a full and fair review when the disability insurer denied the STD claim before receiving medical records from the claimant's treating physicians (Paul Speca v. Aetna Life Insurance Co., No. 18-835, D. Nev., 2019 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 134166). (Source: LexisNexis® Mealey's™ Disability Insurance Legal News)
Source: LexisNexis® Mealey's™ Disability Insurance Legal News - September 9, 2019 Category: Medical Law Source Type: news
Denial Of LTD Benefits Was Not Arbitrary Or Capricious, Judge Finds
CLEVELAND - A disability insurer did not act arbitrarily and capriciously in denying a long-term disability (LTD) benefits claim because the medical evidence did not support a finding that the claimant was entitled to LTD benefits as a result of a heart attack and cognitive problems, an Ohio federal judge said Aug. 21 (Kenneth Radsvick v. United of Omaha Life Insurance Co., No. 18-1872, N.D. Ohio, 2019 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 142060). (Source: LexisNexis® Mealey's™ Disability Insurance Legal News)
Source: LexisNexis® Mealey's™ Disability Insurance Legal News - September 9, 2019 Category: Medical Law Source Type: news
