Brownfield

MEMORANDUM ***

*820 Kyle G. Brownfield appeals the district court’s judgment, following trial on the administrative record, in favor of Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (“Met-Life”) in Brownfield’s suit pursuant to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (“ERISA”). We have jurisdiction pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1291 , and we affirm.

Brownfield sought long-term disability benefits under a plan sponsored by her former employer, Eastman Kodak Company. Determinations of disability under Kodak’s Plan are committed to the discretion of MetLife as the Claims Administrator. MetLife denied Brownfield’s original benefits application and affirmed that decision following administrative review. Where the plan gives the administrator discretionary authority, the court’s review is for abuse of discretion, 2 Eley v. Boeing Co., 945 F.2d 276, 278 (9th Cir.1991), unless the presence of a serious or substantial conflict of interest between the fiduciary and its beneficiaries is demonstrated, Friedrich v. Intel Corp., 181 F.3d 1105, 1109 (9th Cir.1999).

In order to establish a serious conflict of interest, a beneficiary must come forward with “material, probative evidence, beyond the mere…