Hird v. Bostrom Seating, Inc.

147 F. Supp. 2d 1190, 26 Employee Benefits Cas. (BNA) 2014, 2001 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 8359, 2001 WL 705845
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. Alabama
DecidedJune 7, 2001
DocketNo. CV 00-BU-2378-E
StatusPublished

This text of 147 F. Supp. 2d 1190 (Hird v. Bostrom Seating, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. Alabama primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Hird v. Bostrom Seating, Inc., 147 F. Supp. 2d 1190, 26 Employee Benefits Cas. (BNA) 2014, 2001 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 8359, 2001 WL 705845 (N.D. Ala. 2001).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION

BUTTRAM, District Judge.

This case is presently before the Court on motions for summary judgment filed by Fortis Benefits, Inc. [Fortis], asking the Court to dismiss Plaintiffs’ claims against it (Doc. 74) and to dismiss claims of Bos-trom Seating, Inc. against it (Doc. 76). Plaintiffs have filed their opposition to Fortis’s motion; Bostrom did not file anything in opposition to Fortis’s motion.

The Court has reviewed the parties’ submissions and, for the reasons set forth below, the Court finds that there are no disputed issues of material fact and that Fortis is entitled to judgment as a matter of law on Plaintiffs claims and Bostrom’s third-party claim.

I. SUMMARY JUDGMENT STANDARD

On a motion for summary judgment, the court assesses all of the proof the parties can bring to bear in order to ascertain whether a genuine need for trial is present. Matsushita Elec. Indus. Co. v. Zenith Radio Corp., 475 U.S. 574, 587, 106 S.Ct. 1348, 1356, 89 L.Ed.2d 538 (1986). Summary judgment is weighed heavily in favor of the non-movant; it is appropriate only if the court concludes that no genuine issue of material fact exists and that the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Fed.R.Civ.P. 56(c); see Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 249, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 2511, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986); Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 322, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 2552, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986). A party seeking summary judgment has the initial responsibili[1193]*1193ty of informing the Court of the grounds for its motion and specifically identifying those portions of the pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories, admissions on file, and any affidavits that it believes demonstrate the absence of a genuine issue of material fact. Celotex, 477 U.S. at 323, 106 S.Ct. at 2553; see also Clark v. Coats & Clark, Inc., 929 F.2d 604, 608 (11th Cir.1991). Once the moving party has satisfied its initial burden, the non-moving party “must make a sufficient showing to establish the existence of each essential element to that party’s case, and on which that party will bear the burden of proof at trial.” Howard v. BP Oil Company, 32 F.3d 520, 523 (11th Cir.1994). In resolving whether a given factual dispute requires submission to a jury, a district court must view the record in the light most favorable to the nonmoving party and resolve all reasonable inferences in the nonmovant’s favor. Rooney v. Watson, 101 F.3d 1378, 1380 (11th Cir.1996) (citing Hale v. Tallapoosa Co., 50 F.3d 1579, 1581 (11th Cir.1996)).

II. STATEMENT OF FACTS

Effective January 1, 1992, Bostrom entered into a group term life insurance, accidental death, and dismemberment insurance program with Fortis as part of an employee welfare benefit plan established for the benefit of Bostrom’s employees in accordance with the Employee Retirement Income Security Act [ERISA], 29 U.S.C. § 1001, et seq.

The Fortis program provided two forms of life insurance — non-contributory life insurance and contributory life insurance. Non-contributory insurance was provided by Bostrom at no cost to the employee. Additional contributory insurance could be purchased by Bostrom’s employees at group rates. Under the terms of the policy, the amount of insurance available for non-contributory life depended upon the classification of the employee. There were five classes of eligible employees. Salaried full-time employees were entitled to receive 100% of their annual pay subject to a maximum amount of $150,000.00. At the time of retirement, the employee retained only $10,000.00 in non-contributory life insurance.

Full-time employees who were salaried and who had not reached age 65 could elect to receive contributory insurance in an amount not to exceed 200% of the covered person’s annual pay and subject to a maximum of $300,000.00.

The contract of insurance between Bos-trom and Fortis Benefits provides as follows, in relevant part:

ELIGIBILITY AND TERMINATION PROVISIONS

Eligible Persons

To be eligible for insurance, a person must:

• be a member of an eligible class;1
• complete any Service Requirement shown in the Schedule by continuous service with the employer, the policyholder, or an associated company; and
• give us proof of good health, if required.

When a Person’s Insurance Ends

A covered person’s insurance will end on the date:

• the policy ends;
• the policy is changed to end the insurance for a persons’ eligible class;
[1194]*1194• a person is no longer in an eligible class;
• a person stops active work;2 or
• a required contribution was not paid.

Doc. 78, Exh. 1, pp. FOR-210-11.

The summary of the policy provides, “The policy includes a conversion privilege. If any amount of a person’s life insurance ends, it may be possible to convert all or a part of it to a conversion policy3 with no health exam.” Doc. 78, Exh. 1, FOR-205. The particular provision of the policy regarding the conversion policy states:

If any of your group life insurance ends, you can apply for any individual policy offered by us (conversion policy). You must apply and pay the premiums within 31 days. The individual policy may be any we offer for conversion. No proof of good health is required. The amount of insurance available to you depends on the reason your insurance ends.
If your insurance ends because you are no longer eligible or because of a change in age or other status, you may convert the full amount that ended.

Doc. 78, Exh. 1, p. FOR-215.

The policy provides that Fortis, the administrator of the Plan, had authority to interpret the terms of the Plan.

Fortis Benefits interprets these provisions to mean that, under the terms of the Bostrom Plan, when an employee, such as Mr. Hird, retires then he is no longer considered a member of an eligible class and his contributory life insurance ends on that date.

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Rooney Ex Rel. Rooney v. Watson
101 F.3d 1378 (Eleventh Circuit, 1996)
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Nachwalter v. Christie
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Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Alabama v. Brown
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Bluebook (online)
147 F. Supp. 2d 1190, 26 Employee Benefits Cas. (BNA) 2014, 2001 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 8359, 2001 WL 705845, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/hird-v-bostrom-seating-inc-alnd-2001.