A former insurance agent for the Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance Company and his Idaho disability attorney filed a lawsuit against the insurer in Idaho Federal Court to recover his disability insurance benefits. In May 1970, Roger C. purchased a disability insurance policy from his own employer Northwestern Mutual Insurance Company (NWM) and subsequently purchased a second disability insurance policy in 1975. In addition, from 1970 until 1994 Roger C. added several life insurance policies from NWM to his portfolio of insurance coverage. And, having paid all premiums for the two (2) NWM policies as well as his other NWM life insurance policies, Roger C. rightfully expected to be fully covered by those policies should he become disabled, which he did in 2005. Unfortunately, NWM denied his claims for benefits.
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A federal lawsuit in Minnesota against ReliaStar and Madison National Life Insurance Co. was recently filed by a Minnesota disability attorney. The Plaintiff, a teacher in the local school district, was covered by a Wisconsin Life’s disability benefit plan which was administered by ReliaStar. The Plaintiff filed a disability lawsuit to recover disability benefits wrongly withheld by ReliaStar.
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In the case of James E. Mugan Vs Hartford Life Group Insurance Company, the plaintiff was a participant in the Cantor Fitzgerald employer sponsored long term disability. Mr. Mugan suffered from a heart condition and cognitive impairment. The plaintiff brought a disability lawsuit through his New York Disability lawyer under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) alleging that the Hartford’s decision to terminate his benefits was arbitrary and capricious and was motivated by conflict of interest. The New York District Court however, held that:

• Hartford’s decision to terminate LTD benefits was not arbitrary and capricious.
• While structural conflict of interest existed, it was not significant factor in administrator’s decision.
• The administrator could counterclaim for alleged overpayment of benefits.

Let us examine the case more closely.
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Terminated February 26, 2011 from Jeld-Wen, presumably due to her disabling condition, Donna Wachhaus has filed a lawsuit in the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania against Cigna Group Insurance and Life Insurance Company of North America for her disability benefits. Employed at Jeld-Wen as a window assembler since April 10, 1989, Wachhaus went on medical leave in late August of 2009. She remained on medical leave until February 26, 2010 when she was terminated as a result of her “Disability-Unable to Return” status.
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Recently, a lawsuit was filed against the Prudential Insurance Company of America (Prudential) by a Georgia disability attorney at the District Court for the Northern District of Georgia. In Robert Lucas v The Prudential Insurance Company of America, the plaintiff Robert Lucas claimed that Prudential had acted unreasonably, arbitrarily and without any justification in denying his claim for long term disability benefits.
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