Scoles v. Intel Corp. Long Term Disability Benefit Plan

MEMORANDUM

Barbara Scoles was a systems analyst at Intel Corporation (“Intel”) until she went on disability leave due to panic disorder, major depressive disorder, and generalized anxiety disorder. She qualified for benefits under the Social Security Disability Insurance program. Scoles also applied for benefits from Intel’s long-term-disability plan (“Plan”), in which she was a participant. After an initial denial, benefits were granted through the “own occupation” period. The Plan declined to continue Scoles’s benefits into the “any occupation” period, ostensibly because Scoles had failed to pro vide sufficient “Objective Medical Findings to support that [she was] not able to work ‘any occupation’ as stated in [the Plan].” After exhausting administrative remedies and a voluntary administrative appeal, Scoles brought suit against the Plan under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”), 29 U.S.C. § 1132 (a)(1). The district court granted summary judgment for the Plan. We have jurisdiction under 28 U.S.C. §1291 , and we reverse and remand.

1. We agree with the district court that an unaltered abuse-of-discretion standard of review applies. Where, as here, an…