Whitley v. Standard Ins. Co., No. 15-1524 (8th Cir. 2016)
Annotate this CasePlaintiff filed suit against Standard, asserting various claims after Standard determined that plaintiff was no longer disabled and discontinued benefits. The district court granted summary judgment to plaintiff, concluding that Standard abused its discretion in discontinuing long-term disability (LTD) benefits. In this case, Standard's decision was based on its determination that the disabling cognitive impairments suffered by plaintiff in a 2011 car accident had improved to the point that she could return full-time to her Own Occupation. The court concluded that the administrative record more than adequately supports the manner in which Standard addressed the Own Occupation issue in its final decision. The court also concluded that substantial evidence supported Standard's decision to discontinue benefits. Accordingly, the court reversed and remanded.
Court Description: Loken, Author, with Murphy and Colloton, Circuit Judges] Civil case - ERISA. The district court erred in granting summary judgment for plaintiff on the ground the plan administrator abused its discretion by discontinuing plainitff's long-term disability benefits; substantial evidence supported the plan administrator's decision to discontinue benefits because plaintiff had recovered the ability to return to her "Own Occupation" on a full-time basis.
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