United States Tenth Circuit

When substantial violations of ERISA deadlines result in the claim's being automatically deemed denied on review, the district court must review the denial de novo, even if the plan administrator has discretionary authority to decide claims.

Appellate Information

• Decided 05/06/2003
• Published 05/06/2003

Judges

• McCONNELL, Circuit Judge., Before SEYMOUR and McCONNELL, Circuit Judges, and KRIEGER, District Judge.

Court

• United States Tenth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Michael D. Armstrong, Albuquerque, NM, for Plaintiff-Appellant.


• For Appellees:
  
• Carol Lisa Smith of Krehbiel, Bannerman & Williams, P.A., Albuquerque, NM, for Defendant-Appellee Allied Signal Inc.;  Tracy M. Jenks of Rodey, Dickason, Sloan, Akin & Robb, P.A., Albuquerque, NM, for Defendant-Appellee Life Insurance Company of North America.