Denise Hamma v. Intel Corporation

MEMORANDUM

Appellant Denise Hamma’s (Hamma’s) claim for long-term disability (LTD) benefits under Appellee Intel Corporation’s (Intel) Long-Term Disability Benefit Plan (Plan) was denied by the plan administrator, Matrix Absence Management, Inc. (Matrix), and her appeal was denied by the Intel Disability Appeals Committee (Appeals Committee). Hamma challenges the district court’s summary judgment in favor of Intel, asserting that Matrix and the Appeals Committee abused their discretion.

Matrix and the Appeals Committee did not abuse their discretion by relying on a neurologist and neurosurgeon as peer review physicians in evaluating Hamma’s medical condition, and they specified their reasons for not crediting the opinions of Hamma’s treating physicians. See 29 C.F.R. § 2560.503 — 1(h)(3)(iii) (“[T]he appropriate named fiduciary shall consult with a health care professional who has appropriate training and experience in the field of medicine involved in the medical judgment^]”); see also LaMantia v. Voluntary Plan Administrators, Inc., 401 F.3d 1114, 1121 (9th Cir.2005) (“ERISA and the Secretary of Labor’s regulations implementing the statute do not command plan administrators to…