Zavala

MEMORANDUM **

Plaintiff Val Zavala, Personal Representative of the Estate of Jack Murrison, sued Defendants Trans-System, Inc. (the “Plan Sponsor”), and Trusteed Plans Service Corporation (the “Plan Administrator”), alleging state-law tort claims and claims under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”), 29 U.S.C. §§ 1001-1461 . Plaintiff timely appeals from the district court’s dismissal of her claims. On de novo review, Cleghorn v. Blue Shield of Cal., 408 F.3d 1222 , 1225 (9th Cir.2005); Aloha Airlines, Inc. v. Ahue, 12 F.3d 1498, 1500 (9th Cir.1993), we affirm.

1. ERISA § 514(a), 29 U.S.C. § 1144 (a), preempts a state-law claim if it “relates to” an employee benefit plan. “In determining whether a state law relates to ERISA, a court must evaluate whether the state law ‘has a connection with or refer *157 ence to’ employee benefit plans.” Bast v. Prudential Ins. Co. of Am., 150 F.3d 1003, 1007 (9th Cir.1998) (quoting District of Columbia v. Greater Wash. Bd. of Trade, 506 U.S. 125, 129 , 113 S.Ct. 580 , 121 L.Ed.2d 513 (1992)). When making such a determination, “the focus is whether the claim is premised on the existence of an ERISA plan, and whether the…