• Menu
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Before Header

Has your disability claim been wrongfully denied or terminated? Call us today for help!  (888) 321-8131

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

OLF Ortiz Law Firm National Disability Attorneys

We appeal wrongful long term disability insurance and Social Security Disability denials.

  • ABOUT US
    • Our Team
    • Our Results
    • Areas We Serve
    • Core Values
  • PRACTICE AREAS
    • Administrative Appeals
    • Lawsuits
    • Lump Sum Settlement Offers
  • RESOURCES
    • Top 10 Mistakes That Will Destroy Your LTD Claim
    • Disability Insurance Appeal Guide
    • Physical RFC Form
    • Mental RFC Form
    • Lump Sum Disability Buyout Calculator
  • BLOG
    • Long Term Disability Denials and Appeals
    • Medical Eligibility for Long Term Disability Claims
    • Eligibility for Long Term Disability Claims
    • Your Chances of Getting Approved for Disability Benefits
    • Additional Parts Of A Claim That Do Not Happen in Every Case
  • Search
  • CONTACT

Mobile Menu

Schedule A Free Consultation Now!

(888) 321-8131

  • ABOUT US
    • Areas We Serve
    • Client Reviews and Video Testimonials
    • Our Team
      • Nick Ortiz
    • Our Office
    • Core Values
    • Referring Attorney Program
  • PRACTICE AREAS
    • Long Term Disability
      • Administrative Appeals
      • Lawsuits
      • Lump-Sum Buyout Offers
    • Social Security Disability Claims
      • Initial Applications
      • Request for Reconsideration
      • Hearing Before an Administrative Law Judge
    • Personal Injury Claims
  • DISABLING CONDITIONS
    • Long Term Disability
    • Social Security Disability
  • INSURANCE CARRIERS
    • Cigna
    • Guardian
    • Hartford
    • Lincoln Financial
    • Matrix Absence Management
    • MetLife
    • Mutual of Omaha
    • Northwestern Mutual
    • New York Life
    • Principal
    • Prudential
    • Reliance Standard
    • Standard
    • Unum
  • RESOURCES
    • Blog
    • Free Downloads
    • Lump Sum Disability Buyout Calculator
    • FAQ: Long Term Disability
    • FAQ: Social Security Disability
    • Abbreviations in Social Security Disability Claims
  • Search
  • CONTACT
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
You are here: Home / Case Summaries / Court Rules Claimant’s Lawsuit is Frivolous

Court Rules Claimant’s Lawsuit is Frivolous

May 7, 2020

Case Name: James B. Sumpter v. Metropolitan Life Insurance Company

Court: U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit

Date of Decision: April 18, 2017

Type of Claim: Long Term Disability

Insurance Company: Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, aka MetLife for short.

Claimant’s Employer: General Motors

Claimant’s Occupation / Job Position: Electrical Engineer

Procedural history: Sumpter then brought this ERISA suit in the Southern District of Indiana against DPH, Delphi’s Disability Benefits Program Plan, and MetLife. In granting summary judgment for MetLife, the district court reasoned that when Sumpter became disabled, Delphi’s plan did not provide the benefit he seeks and that he is not entitled to equitable relief.

Issues: Whether there is insurance coverage in this claim.

Holdings: The problem for Sumpter is on the merits: his lawsuit is frivolous because MetLife has no obligation to pay the benefit he seeks. Sumpter doesn’t seriously dispute that GM eliminated the early-payout benefit from its plan in 1994 and that Delphi didn’t include a similar benefit in its 2000 plan. Even so, Sumpter argues he is entitled to the early-payout benefit under GM’s 1992 plan because GM (and later Delphi) didn’t give him plan summaries. But whether or not that allegation is true, section 1132(a)(1)(B) does not authorize a court to “reform” a plan by reading into it a benefit not provided by the plan’s terms.

Noteworthy court comments: “This litigation represents the latest effort by James Sumpter to receive a disability benefit that his former employer, Delphi Automotive Systems, did not offer as part of its employee welfare benefits plan when he became disabled. He now seeks recovery against the plan’s claims administrator, Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, on the grounds that it wrongly denied him benefits and breached fiduciary duties arising under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), 29 U.S.C. §§ 1001–1461. Sumpter’s contentions are frivolous, so we affirm the district court’s grant of summary judgment for MetLife.”

Disclaimer: This was not a case handled by disability attorney Nick A. Ortiz. The court case is summarized here to give readers a better understanding of how Federal Courts decide long term disability ERISA claims.


Insurance Company: MetLifeOccupation: Engineer

Primary Sidebar

Top Ten Mistakes That Will Destroy Your Long Term Disability Claim

View All Resources

Great people. Honest. They will tell you the truth about your case. They tell you everything upfront so that there are no surprises.

Laurie N.

View All Testimonials

Complete This CONFIDENTIAL Form or Call (866) 480-3440 for a FREE Case Evaluation

0 of 350
GET HELP NOW

Practice Areas

  • Long Term Disability Insurance and ERISA Disability Insurance Claims
  • Social Security Disability Claims
  • Personal Injury Claims

Footer

Location

ORTIZ LAW FIRM
(888) 321-8131

316 S Baylen St
Ste 590
Pensacola, FL 32502
Monday - Thursday: 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM Friday: 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Saturday - Sunday: Closed

Our Team

  • Nick Ortiz
  • Jessica Ortiz
  • Dawn Keller
  • Tory Nelson

Practice Areas

  • Long Term Disability Insurance and ERISA Disability Insurance Claims
  • Social Security Disability Claims
  • Personal Injury Claims
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Site Footer

©2023 Ortiz Law Firm, All Rights Reserved. Reproduced with Permission | Disclaimer | Privacy Policy