Simon

Simon v. Life Insurance Co. of North America

Good Law
86 F. App'x 361
United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth CircuitJanuary 29, 2004No. 03-55829; D.C. No. CV-03-00457-GAFCalifornia307 words

Opinion

Lead Opinion

MEMORANDUM **

Ronnie Simon brought this pro se ERISA action against his employer, Schlumberger Technologies, Inc. (“Schlumberger”), the Schlumberger employee benefit plans (“plans”), and the claims administrator for those plans, Life Insurance Company of North America (“LINA”). The district court properly dismissed the action against Schlumberger and LINA. Only plan administrators are required to provide documents upon the request of a participant. See Moran v. Aetna Life Ins. Co., 872 F.2d 296, 298-99 (9th Cir.1989). Similarly, only plan administrators and plans can be sued to recover benefits. See Everhart v. Allmerica Fin. Life Ins. Co., 275 F.3d 751, 753-54 (9th Cir.2001); Gibson v. Prudential Ins. Co., 915 F.2d 414, 417 (9th Cir.1990). Although equity claims can be asserted against fiduciaries, LINA acted solely as a claims administrator and not as a fiduciary. See Kyle Rys., Inc. v. Pacific Admin. Servs, Inc., 990 F.2d 513 , 517-18 (9th Cir.1993). We reject Simon’s argument that he should have been permitted to amend his complaint — no amendment would state a cause of action against Schlumberger or LINA. See id. at 518.

The district court also dismissed Simon’s claims…

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