Benson
Benson v. Continental Casualty Co.
Opinion
Opinion
Wright II, J.
ORDER GRANTING MOTION FOR ATTORNEYS’ FEES, REDUCING HOURS
Before the Court is Plaintiff Vicki Benson’s (“Plaintiff’) motion for attorneys fees. Having reviewed the filings and applicable authority, the Court finds this matter appropriate for decision without oral argument. Fed. R. Civ. Pro. 78; L.R. 7-15. The Court grants the motion to award attorneys’ fees but reduces the time billed as shown below. Plaintiffs counsel is ordered to recalculate the rate under the reduced time and file the total due within 10 days from the date of this order.
I. INTRODUCTORY BACKGROUND
A. Factual Background
This action arises out of a claim for short-term total disability benefits submitted by Plaintiff Vicki Benson pursuant to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”) under her employer’s employee welfare benefit plan, the Countrywide Financial Corporation Group Disability Plan (the “Plan”). The short-term disability benefits portion of the Plan is insured and administered by Defendant Continental Casualty Company (“Continental”).
The underlying facts are briefly summarized. Plaintiff, a 47 year old woman, began working for Countrywide in 1996. Beginning in December 2002,…