ERISA breach of fiduciary duty

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We all are seeing more “breach of fiduciary duty claims” asserted in lawsuits seeking ERISA-governed benefits.  As you know, ERISA allows participants, beneficiaries, and the Secretary of Labor to obtain relief against ERISA fiduciaries for breaching the fiduciary duties they owe to the plan or its participants. ERISA fiduciaries can also be liable under §…

You know that a claimant must exhaust administrative remedies before filing a suit. But is an appeal “optional” when the denial letter says that claimant “may request a second level review”? NO.

And what’s with 502(a)(3) breach of fiduciary claims anyway?  “‘[A] review of the [ERISA] legislative history confirms that Congress did…

You know that typically claimants seeking ERISA-governed benefits make claims for recovery under Section 1132(a)(1)(B).

Now you are likely seeing more simultaneous assertions of equitable claims for breach of fiduciary duty and disgorgement under Section 1132(a)(3). A successful claimant asserting this theory may recover additional forms of monetary relief, and may get broader discovery.

But…

You know that in ERISA cases most courts typically will limit review to the administrative record, absent special circumstances. Courts may also allow limited discovery when assessing whether a “conflict of interest” affected the claim determination. A conflict of interest can arise, for example, when the insurer of the ERISA governed benefit is both…