Many New York employers offer disability as a benefit to their employees. However, there are times that even purportedly valid claims are denied by an insurance company as a matter of policy, for many reasons. As a result of a denial, some claimants file a civil suit in an effort to obtain those benefits.
One man recently filed a complaint in a federal court sitting in another state. He has alleged that his employer, Bristol-Myers Squibb and Aetna Life Insurance Company are liable for causing a breach of contract by denying his short-term disability claim. The man states that he suffered harm as a result of the repeated denials, beginning some time in 2015.
The plaintiff claims that he offered evidence that supported his claim for benefits throughout a series of appeals, but each where summarily denied. He is now seeking compensation in the form of all back disability benefits from the time of his initial claim. In addition, he is seeking any other recompense that the court deems appropriate in this matter.
The case was recently filed in the U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and has not yet been scheduled for trial. Other details were not provided as to the manner of the man’s alleged disability nor the reasons for the repeated denials. Claims are denied for a variety of valid reasons, and as such, an insurance company may find itself in a position to defend its decision for denying a claim for these types of benefits. New York companies face these scenarios on a regular basis and are well equipped to offer a coherent defense offered by an experienced and focused insurance defense attorney.
Source: pennrecord.com, “Bristol-Myers Squibb employee sues his company and Aetna for disability benefits“, Louie Torres, April 12, 2017