United States Fifth Circuit

In an action against an insurer involving a cash benefit policy that provides supplemental coverage to assist in offsetting costs arising out of the treatment of diagnosed cancer and other specified diseases, grant of defendant's motion for judgment on the pleadings is reversed where the policy term "actual charges" is ambiguous and could be interpreted to mean the "billed amount," as opposed to the amount that the insured ultimately owes.

Appellate Information

• Decided 12/21/2007
• Published 12/26/2007

Judges

• BENAVIDES, Circuit Judge:, Before BENAVIDES, CLEMENT and PRADO, Circuit Judges.

Court

• United States Fifth Circuit

Counsel

• For Appellant:
  
• Thomas Allen Filo, Cox, Cox, Filo & Camel, Claude Pierson Devall, Lake Charles, LA, Stephen B. Murray (argued), Stephen B. Murray, Jr., Murray Law Firm, New Orleans, LA, for Plaintiffs-Appellants., Markham R. Leventhal, Mitchell D. Sprengelmeyer, Jorden Burt, Miami, FL, for Amicus Curiae.


• For Appellees:
  
• W. Wayne Drinkwater (argued), Bradley, Arant, Rose & White, Jackson, MS, John E. Goodman, Bradley, Arant, Rose & White, Birmingham, AL, Maria I. O'Bryne Stephenson, Catherine I. Chavarri, Kathleen Diane Lambert, Stephenson, Matthews, Chavarri & Lambert, New Orleans, LA, John M. Bolton, III, Sasser, Bolton, Stidham & Sefton, PC, Montgomery, AL, for Defendant-Appellee.