United States Ninth Circuit

In an action challenging an ERISA plan administrator's decision to deny the plaintiff long-term disability benefits, the district court's judgment is vacated where it erred in reviewing the benefits denial for an abuse of discretion, rather than de novo, when a Summary Plan Description conferred discretionary authority upon the plan administrator but a governing plan document in the form of an insurance certificate did not.

Appellate Information

• Decided 04/21/2015
• Published 04/21/2015

Judges

• Wallace

Court

• United States Ninth Circuit

Counsel