MORRISON C. ENGLAND, Jr., District Judge.
Through this action, Plaintiff Teresa Shappell ("Plaintiff") seeks damages for the denial of total long term disability benefits she claims she was entitled to under disability insurance plans issued by Defendants Sun Life Assurance Company ("Sun Life") and Lincoln National Life Insurance ("Lincoln"). Those disability plans were obtained by Plaintiff's former employer, Employers Insurance Company of Nevada ("Employers"). Plaintiff has now moved for a Protective Order preventing Sun Life and Lincoln from subpoenaing records associated with Plaintiff's concurrent arbitration proceedings against Employers on grounds that such discovery is not permitted in actions arising under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1971, 29 U.S.C. § 1001 et seq. ("ERISA"). The parties have agreed both that the instant matter comes within the purview of ERISA and that the decision denying Plaintiff's benefits should be reviewed under an abuse of discretion standard. As set forth below, Plaintiff's Motion for Protective Order will be GRANTED.
As indicated above, Plaintiff seeks long term disability ("LSD") benefits that were denied by Defendants. Plaintiff has alleged she was totally disabled and unable to work at the time that Defendants Sun Life and Lincoln denied her disability claim. Plaintiff simultaneously pursues, however, a wrongful termination/discrimination claim against Employers that is being arbitrated in Nevada ("Nevada Arbitration"). Defendants contend that Plaintiff alleges, in the Nevada Arbitration, that she was able to work, without accommodation, and was wrongfully terminated from her employment.
Defendants served Employers with a subpoena seeking production of the following documents associated with the Nevada Arbitration: written discovery and responses; deposition transcripts; employment records pertaining to Plaintiff; and orders or decisions issued by the arbitrator.
Plaintiff objected to the subpoena. Defendants refused to withdraw the subpoena. Plaintiff filed this motion seeking to limit the production of records pertaining to Plaintiff's last day of work, documents which Plaintiff has agreed to produce Plaintiff also seeks an award of expenses incurred in bringing this motion.
Plaintiff argues that discovery in ERISA actions is limited instances where exceptional circumstances apply, as set forth in
Despite these contentions, as indicated above, Plaintiff has agreed to the discovery of evidence pertaining to her last day of work because that issue may be critical in determining whether a preexisting condition on Plaintiff's part bars her LTD claim.
Defendant argues that the exceptional circumstances factors set forth in
Since filing the instant motion, each party has submitted a Motion for Judgment under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 52. Plaintiff and both Defendants unanimously concur that this matter should be reviewed under an abuse of discretion standard.
"Where a plan vests the administrator with discretionary authority to determine eligibility for benefits [] a district court may review the administrator's determination only for an abuse of discretion."
The scope of admitting evidence not contained in the administrative record in ERISA actions falling within the abuse of discretion standard of review is much more limited than the exceptions available in a
Because the parties agree to that abuse of discretion is the appropriate standard of review, the discovery currently sought from the Nevada Arbitration is not likely to lead to the discovery of admissible evidence. That discovery is neither related to deficiencies in the record stemming from the administrator's failure to follow ERISA procedures nor to any potential conflict of interest that would enable a
Defendants incorrectly contend that Plaintiff's conflicting allegations in simultaneous legal actions creates an exceptional circumstance that warrants the discovery request. The exceptional circumstances argument, however, does not apply to ERISA matters being reviewed under an abuse of discretion standard.
Conflicting simultaneous claims of work capacity and disability are not uncommon and are appropriately dealt with under the doctrine of judicial estoppel.
Defendants' contention that it would be unjust to allow Plaintiff to attach new evidence to her complaint while prohibiting their pursuit of discovery is unsupported by any authority and the Court declines to investigate the complaint to confirm or deny such accusations. To the extent that Plaintiff attempts to introduce evidence outside of the administrative record as part of her Motion for Judgment under Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 52, Defendants are free to object to such evidence on any grounds that are proper.
The area of ERISA litigation is a highly technical and specialized field. Plaintiff's motion only provides a two-line description that abuse of discretion is the appropriate standard and spends the rest of the motion erroneously rebutting any contention that exceptional circumstances are present. As stated above, such exceptions are only applicable in
Because the standard of review informs the amount of evidence that a district court may consider in ERISA actions, the Court finds that the discovery sought is outside the permissible scope for the abuse of discretion standard of review applicable to the present matter. Plaintiffs' Motion For Protective Order (Docket No. 41) is accordingly GRANTED. Plaintiff's request for sanctions is DENIED.
The Court further notes that Defendant Sun Life has moved on an ex parte basis that the filing deadlines established in this matter for dispositive motions be extended so that materials from the Nevada Arbitration can be obtained and reviewed. Because the Court has already reviewed that such materials are not discoverable given the abuse of discretion standard applicable here, that Ex Parte Application (ECF No. 52) is also DENIED.