At least five lawsuits were recently filed in Florida District Courts against Prudential for non-payment of disability benefits to deserving claimants
With at least five suits filed against them in July for denying disability benefits, Prudential Insurance Company of America has a lot of unhappy claimants in Florida.
Darlene H. v. Prudential Insurance Company
On July 25, 2011, Darlene H. and her Florida disability attorney filed suit against Prudential when the insurer failed to pay her disability benefits as expected. In the complaint, filed in the United States District Court of Florida, Tampa Division, Darlene and her disability attorney accuse the insurer of having a conflict of interest in deciding whether or not to pay out disability benefits, acting arbitrarily and capriciously, failing to apply the provisions of their plans consistently, failing to conduct a “full and fair review” of her claim as stipulated in the Employee Insurance Retirement Security Act of 1974 (ERISA), failing to follow their own internal guidelines for determining awards of claimant disability benefits, and failing to comply with laws governing the administering of such disability policies. Darlene and her attorney want the Court to order the insurer to provide a “full and fair” review of Darlene’s claim as well as cover her attorney fees and court costs.
Lisa T. v. Prudential Insurance Company
On July 19, 2011, Lisa T., an employee at Zimmerman & Partners Advertising, Inc. as a Human Resources Director, and her disability attorney filed suit against Prudential in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Florida, Fort Lauderdale Division. Lisa became disabled in June 2009 from SLE (Systematic Lupus Erythematosus), chronic and Severe Fatigue, Worsening Memory Loss, Swelling of hands and Feet, Decreased Concentration Status, Chronic Joint Pain, Persistent Erythromelagia, Guillan-Barre Syndrome, Rhematoid Arthritis, Reynaud’s phenomenon and poor sleep. Prudential initially paid Torres long-term disability from December 2009 until May 2010. At that time, Prudential determined that Torres no longer met the definition of disabled and no longer qualified for long-term disability benefits. Still suffering from the debilitating symptoms of SLE, Torres appealed the decision only to be denied again.
Consequently, as a result of the withholding of her entitled disability benefits, Torres and her attorney filed a complaint against Prudential alleging that its decision was arbitrary and capricious and breached the contract the insurer had with Torres. Torres and her disability attorney ask the District Court for an order to force Prudential to fulfill its obligations under Torres’ disability policy and reinstate her benefits plus attorney’s fees.
Charles C. v. Prudential Insurance Company
In the July 19, 2011 complaint filed against Prudential Insurance Company by Charles C. and his attorney, the plaintiff, a US Food Service, Inc. Sales/Territory Manager filed for disability benefits when he became disabled in August 2009. Suffering from “gastroenterological symptoms, cervical radiculopathy and Myelopathy and lumbar radiculopathy,” Charles was paid long-term disability benefits from February 2010 until August 2010. Claiming Charles no longer met its definition of disabled, Prudential terminated Charles’ benefits. With ammunition from the insurer’s own doctors, who verified that Charles’ medical records indicated that Charles was limited in his ability to perform his job, Prudential ignored all evidence of Charels’ disabling condition and denied all appeals, which led to the filing of Charles’ lawsuit.
In the complaint the two allege that Prudential was arbitrary and capricious, ignored Charles’ documentation of his condition, breached its contract with Charles, and “is guilty of bad faith, has been stubbornly litigious, and has caused (Chares) unnecessary trouble, expense, and emotional distress.” Consequently, they ask the Florida District Court to render judgment for Charles and against Prudential and force the insurer to pay Charles’ disability benefits per the terms and conditions of his policy as well as reimburse him for attorney’s fees and court expenses.
Arnold R. v. Prudential Financial
A senior vice president and his Florida disability lawyer filed suit against Prudential on August 1, 2011 in the Miami Division of the United State District Court of the Southern District of Florida for unpaid disability benefits. Arnold , an HIV sufferer since 1992, was the beneficiary of a long term disability insurance policy with Prudential that went into effect in 1982, which was originally administered by his employer Bank of New York. At the time of his diagnosis, Arnold was the Senior Vice President of Global Custody and Securities Lending for the Bank of New York. According to Arnold’s lawyer, as stated in their complaint, Arnold “suffers from debilitating gastrointestinal problems, particularly chronic diarrhea, fatigue, problems with memory and concentration, and peripheral neuropathy in his lets as well as recurring skin conditions and rashes and recurring pulmonary conditions such as pneumonia and bronchitis,” due to his illness and medications he takes to control his HIV infection. Consequently, Arnold went on short term disability from Prudential in August of 1992. On May 1, 2005, Arnold’s disability benefits administration was taken over by Prudential. And, on January 10, 2006, Prudential terminated Arnold’s benefits.
According to Prudential, since Arnold was originally on the Executive Disability Plan, he does not fall under the definition of “disabled” per that plan. Asked for a copy of this document and not receiving that copy, Arnold appealed the insurer’s decision to terminate his disability benefits. That appeal and his second appeal were denied, still without the provision of the again requested plan details. Finally in January 2007, Arnold was able to procure a copy of the Executive Disability Plan Summary from Bank of New York. However, the plan was not the 1982 version, but the 1995 version. Not able to document that there even was an Executive Disability Plan when Arnold began receiving his disability benefits in 1992, Arnold is disabled under his plan.
With little progress in pointing out this discrepancy to the disability plans, Arnold hired a attorney to help him retrieve his rightful disability benefits. In the complaint, Arnold and his disability attorney, claim that Prudential and the Bank of New York has breached its contract with Arnold, that it has failed to provide documents in violation of the Employee Retirement Security Act (ERISA) and have asked the Court to order the defendants to pay all Arnold’s unpaid disability benefits plus interest, pay civil penalties for their failure to provide requested documents to Arnold and his attorney, pay Arnold the correct amount of disability benefits had he been subject to the Executive Disability Plan, pay Arnold’s attorney’s fees and Court costs.
Nancy P. v. Prudential
On July 14, 2011, Nancy P. and her disability attorney filed a lawsuit against Prudential to recover her wrongfully denied disability benefits. In the complaint, filed in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Florida, Pensacola Division, Nancy and her attorney allege that the insurer has breached its duty as fiduciary administrator of Nancy’s disability plan and has a conflict of interest in taking on the role of administrator to the plan.
Nancy was paid disability benefits from December 16, 2009 until March 17, 2010. Then Prudential refused to pay any disability benefits to Nancy after March 18, 2010, claiming Nancy no longer qualified as disabled. After appealing this decision, Nancy turned to an attorney to take her case to District Court. She and her disability attorney ask the Court to award Nancy her disability benefits, continuing and unpaid since March 18, 2010, interest, attorney’s fees and a declaration that Nancy meets the disability qualifications under the plan and is entitled to such benefits as provided by the plan.
Learn more: Why are Prudential Lawsuits Challenging For Disability Claimants?
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