Garretson
Garretson v. Metropolitan Life Insurance Company
Opinion
Trial Court Opinion
UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT NORTHERN DISTRICT OF CALIFORNIA 6 STEVEN S. GARRETSON, Case No. 17-cv-07052-JD
Plaintiff,
FINDINGS OF FACT AND
v. CONCLUSIONS OF LAW
METROPOLITAN LIFE INSURANCE
COMPANY,
11 Defendant.
12 Plaintiff Steven S. Garretson brought this ERISA action for long-term disability (“LTD”) benefits under a group insurance policy. The policy was issued by defendant Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (“MetLife”) to non-party Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc., Garretson’s former employer. MetLife initially determined that Garretson was disabled and began paying him benefits effective March 14, 2015, but terminated his coverage on April 28, 2017. Garretson appealed the termination to MetLife, but MetLife denied the appeal. Pending is Garretson’s motion for judgment. Dkt. No. 32. Garretson and MetLife agree that a de novo standard of review applies to MetLife’s termination of Garretson’s claim. Dkt. No. 32 at 12-13; Dkt. No. 38 at 19. The Court consequently conducts at the…