A woman from Ontario, Canada has filed a MetLife disability benefits lawsuit alleging the insurance company wrongly terminated her long-term disability benefits.

Plaintiff Virginia A. was provided long-term disability coverage pursuant to the terms of a group employee benefits plan by her employer.

Under the terms of the MetLife disability insurance benefits contract, MetLife is obligated to provide Virginia with long-term disability benefits in the event that she is rendered unable to work due to injury, disease or other medical condition.

Plaintiff Virginia A. suffers from COPD, recurrent leg abscess, chronic low back pain and myocardium. As result of her conditions, it is impossible for her to work, the MetLife disability benefits lawsuit states.

However, MetLife has wrongfully denied Virginia’s disability benefits.  According to Virginia’s MetLife disability benefits lawsuit, MetLife’s denial of benefits was “arbitrary and capricious and was contrary to medical and other evidence that overwhelmingly supports Plaintiff’s claim of total and permanent disability.”

As such, Virginia says this wrongful termination of disability benefits constitutes a breach of contract and that she has sustained damages including loss of past, present, and future incomes in the form of wage loss compensation benefits.

At this time, she has exhausted all appeals and reconsideration processes provided by MetLife.  Since MetLife refuses to resume payment of benefits Virginia says are rightfully due to her, she has no choice but to file this MetLife disability benefits lawsuit.

She is seeking judgment in her favor against MetLife in “whatever amount she is found to be entitled, in addition to costs, interest and attorney fees.”

Examples of MetLife Bad Faith Insurance Practices

Long-term disability insurers must act in good faith and deal fairly with their policyholders when processing claims. This doesn’t always happen.

Here are some of the most common examples of alleged MetLife insurance actions that can violate the law:

• Delaying payment on a valid claim without justification
• Failing to respond to disability policyholder requests
• Making endless demands for additional information
• Making an unreasonable request or the failure to order an Independent Medical Examinations (IME)
• Performing an invalid Functional Capacity Evaluations (FCE)
• Not complying with ERISA rules and regulations
• Ignoring new medical, occupational or financial information
• Conducting selective video surveillance of claimants
• Making a low-ball settlement offers or policy buyout offer
• Misinforming policyholders about the terms of the policy
• Failing to independently evaluate all of the conditions that prevent returning to work

Filing a MetLife Disability Benefits Lawsuit

Many disability insurance lawsuits against MetLife or other insurance companies fall under federal ERISA guidelines governing group insurance benefits.

Other actions against MetLife include bad faith insurance lawsuits in the matter of claims denied or terminated under individual short term or long-term disability benefits coverage.

If you or a loved one have suffered a serious short-term or long-term disability while insured by MetLife and have been denied disability claim benefits or your disability benefits were unfairly terminated, you may be eligible to take legal action against MetLife.

The MetLife Disability Benefits Lawsuit is Case No. 4:16-cv-13146 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Southern Division.