Mueller

UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT EASTERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA ----oo0oo---- 11 BRIGITTE MUELLER, No. 2:23-cv-00919 WBS JDP Plaintiff, v. MEMORANDUM OF DECISION THE LINCOLN NATIONAL LIFE

INSURANCE COMPANY,

16 Defendant.

18 ----oo0oo---- 19 Plaintiff Brigitte Mueller brought this action against 20 defendant Lincoln National Life Insurance Company alleging that 21 defendant violated the Employee Retirement Income Security Act 22 (“ERISA”), 29 U.S.C. § 1132(a), when it failed to pay accidental 23 death benefits following the death of plaintiff’s husband. 24 On January 23, 2024, the court held a hearing pursuant 25 to Kearney v. Standard Insurance Co., 175 F.3d 1084, 1089 (9th 26 Cir. 1999) (en banc). The following memorandum constitutes the 27 court’s findings of fact and conclusions of law pursuant to 28 Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 52(a). I. Factual and Procedural Background Kenneth Mueller was employed as the Chief Financial Officer of Raley’s, a supermarket chain. (See Admin. Record 5 …