Employees of Companies such as Michelin and All State were recently forced to file suit against Liberty Life after Liberty Life denied their applications for disability benefits under ERISA. After being denied initially and at each level of administrative appeal, with the help of a South Carolina disability lawyer, each claimant filed suit in Federal Court. Lets take a closer look at each case:

Columbia, South Carolina Case
In Joe P. v. Liberty Life Assurance Company of Boston, Joe and his South Carolina disability attorney filed a lawsuit against the insurer in the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina Columbia Division on August 26, 2011. Filing the complaint pursuant to the Employee Retirement Insurance Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), and 29 U. S. C. S. § 1132(a)(1)(B), Joe and his South Carolina disability attorney ask the Court to declare that Joe is entitled to her long term disability benefits, attorney’s fees and costs, and any other “relief as the Court deems just and proper” as well as pre-judgment interest “on all benefits due from the point at which benefits were payable through the time of judgment.”

As a Michelin employee covered by a long term disability plan provided through his employer, Joe was denied his disability benefits from Liberty when he became disabled. Liberty refused to provide Joe’s entitled disability benefits, denied all his appeals and “refused to provide additional benefits. Consequently, in their lawsuit Joe and his South Carolina disability attorney accuse Liberty of “operating under a conflict of interest,” “ignoring relevant evidence pertaining to [Joe’] claim,” and “relying upon biased information and flawed expert opinions” when evaluating Joe’ disability claim.

Greenville, South Carolina Case

In Debra K. v. Liberty Life Assurance Company of Boston, Debra and her South Carolina disability attorney filed Debra’s suit on September 9, 2011 in the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina Greenville Division claiming that Liberty Life again violated the Employee Retirement Insurance Security Act of 1974 (ERISA) and 29 U.S.C.S. § 1132(a)(1)(B) when it denied Debra her disability benefits. An Allstate Insurance Medical Claims Office employee, Debra became disabled and no longer able to perform her job, applied for her entitled disability benefits and was denied those benefits originally and on appeal.

With no other option, Debra and her South Carolina disability lawyer filed suit against the insurer and accused it of having a conflict of interest, making decisions based on inadequate evidence and relying on biased information from expert opinions.

As with Joe, Debra and her South Carolina disability lawyer request that the Court declare that Debra to be entitled to long term disability benefits, attorney’s fees and costs, pre-judgment interest and any other relief the Court “deems just and proper.”

Anderson, South Carolina Case

In Varenia P. v. Liberty Life Assurance Company of Boston, Varenia and her South Carolina disability lawyer filed suit against the insurer in the United States District Court for the District of South Carolina Anderson Division on September 9, 2011. An employee of Charter Communications, Varenia, through her South Carolina disability lawyer accuses Liberty Life of violation of ERISA and other laws in denying Varenia her entitled disability benefits.

She also was denied her long term disability benefits outright, exhausted her administrative appeals and was forced to seek the help of a South Carolina disability attorney to challenge Liberty Life’s decision. Varenia and her South Carolina disability lawyer ask the Court to order Liberty Life to conduct a “full and fair” review of her claim and is confident that when the insurer conducts that review her disability benefits will be awarded.