Firman v. Beacon Construction Co., Inc.

LINA appealed the decision of the district court holding that it abused its discretion in its denial of benefits to plaintiff under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), 29 U.S.C. 1001 et seq. Plaintiff alleged that LINA wrongly denied her the benefits of her common-law husband's ERISA-governed Group Accident Policies where her husband participated in two accidental death and dismemberment policies. The court affirmed the district court's holding that the common law definition of "accident" adopted in Todd v. AIG Life Insurance Co., was controlling in all ERISA accidental death and dismemberment plans where the term "accident" was undefined, irrespective of whether the plan administrator was given discretion to interpret the plan. View " Firman v. Beacon Construction Co., Inc." on Justia Law