Filed: Dec. 10, 2001
Latest Update: Mar. 02, 2020
Summary: IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT No. 00-41234 Summary Calendar TERRY DUNN, Plaintiff-Appellant, versus US BRASS CORPORATION; ELJER INDUSTRIES; METROPOLITAN LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY; TRAVELERS INSURANCE COMPANY, Defendants-Appellees. - Appeal from the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas USDC No. 2:99-CV-65-JKG - December 7, 2001 Before JONES, SMITH, and EMILIO M. GARZA, Circuit Judges. PER CURIAM:* Terry Dunn appeals the judgment, following a be
Summary: IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT No. 00-41234 Summary Calendar TERRY DUNN, Plaintiff-Appellant, versus US BRASS CORPORATION; ELJER INDUSTRIES; METROPOLITAN LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY; TRAVELERS INSURANCE COMPANY, Defendants-Appellees. - Appeal from the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Texas USDC No. 2:99-CV-65-JKG - December 7, 2001 Before JONES, SMITH, and EMILIO M. GARZA, Circuit Judges. PER CURIAM:* Terry Dunn appeals the judgment, following a ben..
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IN THE UNITED STATES COURT OF APPEALS
FOR THE FIFTH CIRCUIT
No. 00-41234
Summary Calendar
TERRY DUNN,
Plaintiff-Appellant,
versus
US BRASS CORPORATION; ELJER INDUSTRIES;
METROPOLITAN LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY;
TRAVELERS INSURANCE COMPANY,
Defendants-Appellees.
--------------------
Appeal from the United States District Court
for the Eastern District of Texas
USDC No. 2:99-CV-65-JKG
--------------------
December 7, 2001
Before JONES, SMITH, and EMILIO M. GARZA, Circuit Judges.
PER CURIAM:*
Terry Dunn appeals the judgment, following a bench trial
by a magistrate judge, dismissing Dunn's suit for wrongful denial
of long-term disability ("LTD") benefits. Dunn had filed his claim
pursuant to the civil enforcement provisions of the Employee
Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 ("ERISA"), 29 U.S.C. ยง 1001
et seq. Dunn contends that the magistrate judge erred in
determining that the disability definition relied on by defendants
*
Pursuant to 5TH CIR. R. 47.5, the court has determined that this
opinion should not be published and is not precedent except under the limited
circumstances set forth in 5TH CIR. R. 47.5.4.
No. 00-41234
-2-
was the applicable definition under the LTD benefit plan provided
to Dunn as a United States Brass Corporation truck driver. Dunn
also contends that the plan was not an ERISA plan. Finally, Dunn
contends that the magistrate judge relied on inadmissible hearsay
in making her determinations.
The magistrate judge did not err in determining that the
LTD plan constituted an ERISA plan. See McNeil v. Time Ins. Co.,
205 F.3d 179, 189 (5th Cir. 2000); Meredith v. Time Ins. Co.,
980
F.2d 352, 355 (5th Cir. 1993). The magistrate judge did not err in
determining that the disability definition contained in
correspondence between the defendants and Dunn and in the summary
plan description ("SPD"), and relied on by defendants in denying
benefits, was the applicable definition. See Sweatman v.
Commercial Union Ins. Co.,
39 F.3d 594, 601 (5th Cir. 1994).
Finally, Dunn has not shown that the magistrate judge abused her
discretion in admitting evidence, nor that errors in the admission
of evidence, if any, affected his substantial rights. See Guillory
v. Domtar Indus. Inc.,
95 F.3d 1320, 1329 (5th Cir. 1996).
AFFIRMED.