United States Third Circuit

When a summary plan description under ERISA conflicts with the complete, detailed ERISA plan document, a plan participant may nevertheless state a claim for plan benefits based upon terms contained in the summary plan description.

Appellate Information

• Argued 04/24/2003
• Decided 07/02/2003
• Published 07/02/2003

Judges

• Before SCIRICA, Chief Judge, AMBRO and GARTH, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Third Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Jay W. Eisenhofer (argued), Denise T. DiPersio, Grant & Eisenhofer, P.A., Wilmington, Mark J. Krum, Philadelphia, for Appellants.


• For Appellees:
  
• John F. Schultz (argued), Kristofor T. Henning, Drinker, Biddle & Reath, LLP, Philadelphia, for Appellees Retirement Account Plan and Kasperbauer., David J. Laurent, Babst, Calland, Clements & Zomnir, P.C., Pittsburgh, for Appellee McConnell., David L. McClenahan (argued), William T. Cullen, Wendy E.D. Smith, Kirkpatrick & Lockhart, Pittsburgh, for Appellees Adam, Brown, Danforth, Edelman, Fletcher, Gumberg, Hernandez, Nimick, Palmer, Potamkin, and Sculley., Thomas J. Farrell,Thieman & Farrell, Pittsburgh, for Appellee Barnes., Michele Langer, Marvin, Larsson, Henkin & Scheuritzel, Philadelphia, for Appellee Brenner., James J. Restivo, Jr., Perry A. Napolitano, Daniel E. Wille, Reed Smith, Pittsburgh, for Appellee Cahouet., Anthony W. Clark, Eric M. Davis, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, Wilmington, Henry P. Wasserstein, Jonathan L. Frank, Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, New York, for Appellee Snyder., Jay H. Calvert, Jr., Joseph B.G. Fay, Steven D. Spencer, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP, Philadelphia, for Appellee Mellon Bank, N.A., James J. Keightley, General Counsel, Jeffrey B. Cohen, Deputy General Counsel, Deborah West, Senior Assistant General Counsel, Sara B. Eagle (argued), Joseph M. Krettek, Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation, Office of the General Counsel, Washington, for Appellee Pension Benefit Guaranty Corporation.