Holsey v. UNUM Life Insurance of America

944 F. Supp. 570, 1996 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 16429, 1996 WL 640377
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Michigan
DecidedOctober 29, 1996
DocketNo. 95-CV-40388-FL
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 944 F. Supp. 570 (Holsey v. UNUM Life Insurance of America) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Michigan primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Holsey v. UNUM Life Insurance of America, 944 F. Supp. 570, 1996 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 16429, 1996 WL 640377 (E.D. Mich. 1996).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER GRANTING DEFENDANT DETROIT RECEIVING HOSPITAL’S MOTION FOR SUMMARY JUDGMENT

GADOLA, District Judge.

Plaintiff, Carl L. Holsey, filed a complaint in this action in September, 1995, alleging breach of contract against Detroit Receiving Hospital (“DRH”), his employer, and UNUM Life Insurance Company (“UNUM”). Hol-sey seeks damages for disability benefits he claims were wrongfully denied to him under a disability policy provided by UNUM. In December, 1995, plaintiff filed a First Amended Complaint which added a claim under the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (“ERISA”) against UNUM. On June 24, 1996, plaintiff filed his Second Amended Complaint adding ERISA claims to the breach of contract action brought against DRH. On June 26, 1996, DRH, pursuant to Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 56(b) filed the present Motion for Summary Judgment as to Count II, the breach of contract claim, of the First Amended Complaint1. DRH [571]*571asserts that the breach of contract claim is preempted by ERISA. Plaintiff filed a response on September 10, 1996 almost two months beyond the response due date of July 17, 1996. For the reasons stated below, DRH’s Motion for Summary Judgment is ’ granted.

I. Background

Holsey, an anesthesiologist, was hired by DRH in 1991. As part of his benefits package, he was provided a disability policy through UNUM. On or about November 16, 1992, Holsey alleges he became totally disabled and as a result, he was unable to work. He sought disability benefits from UNUM but was denied them because UNUM claimed his disability was due to a pre-exist-ing condition of diabetes. Holsey alleges that the disability insurance policy was the result of a contractual agreement with DRH and that DRH has breached the contract with him because UNUM has denied Holsey benefits under the policy. Holsey admits that he was provided with the insurance policy DRH allegedly promised him.

II. Summary Judgment Standard

Rule 56(c) of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure provides that summary judgment “shall be rendered forthwith if the pleadings, depositions, answers to interrogatories, and admissions on file, together with the affidavits, if any, show that there is no genuine issue as to any material fact and that the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law.” Summary judgment is appropriate where the moving party demonstrates that there is no genuine issue of material fact as to the existence of an essential element of the non-moving party’s case on which the non-moving party would bear the burden of proof at trial. Martin v. Ohio Turnpike Commission, 968 F.2d 606, 608 (6th Cir.1992); Celotex Corp. v. Catrett, 477 U.S. 317, 322, 106 S.Ct. 2548, 2552, 91 L.Ed.2d 265 (1986). In considering a motion for summary judgment, the court must view the facts and draw all reasonable inferences therefrom in a light most favorable to the non-moving party. 60 Ivy Street Corporation v. Alexander, 822 F.2d 1432, 1435 (6th Cir.1987). The court is not required or permitted, however, to judge the evidence or make findings of fact. Id. at 1435-36. The moving party has the burden of showing conclusively that no genuine issue of material fact exists. Id. at 1435.

A fact is “material” for purposes of summary judgment where proof of that fact would have the effect of establishing or refuting an essential element of the cause of action or a defense advanced by the parties. Kendall v. Hoover Co., 751 F.2d 171, 174 (6th Cir.1984). In other words, the disputed fact must be one which might affect outcome of the suit under the substantive law controlling the issue. Henson v. National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 14 F.3d 1143, 1148 (6th Cir.1994). A dispute over a material fact is genuine “if the evidence is such that a reasonable jury could return a verdict for the non-moving party.” Id. Accordingly, where a reasonable jury could not find that the non-moving party is entitled to a verdict, there is no genuine issue for trial and summary judgment is appropriate. Feliciano v. City of Cleveland, 988 F.2d 649 (6th Cir.1993).

Once the moving party carries its initial burden of demonstrating that no genuine issues of material fact are in dispute, the burden shifts to the non-moving party to present specific facts to prove that there is a genuine issue for trial. To create a genuine issue of material fact, the non-moving party must present more than just some evidence of a disputed issue. As the United States Supreme Court stated in Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 249-50, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 2511, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986):

There is no issue for trial unless there is sufficient evidence favoring the non-moving party for a jury to return a verdict for that party. If the [non-moving party’s] evidence is merely colorable, or is not significantly probative, summary judgment may be granted.

[572]*572(Citations omitted); see also Celotex, 477 U.S. at 322-23, 106 S.Ct. at 2552-53; Matsushita Elec. Indus. Co. v. Zenith Radio Corp., 475 U.S. 574, 586-87, 106 S.Ct. 1348, 1355-56, 89 L.Ed.2d 538 (1986). Consequently, the non-moving party must do more than raise some doubt as to the existence of a fact; the non-moving party must produce evidence that would be sufficient to require submission of the issue to the jury. Lucas v. Leaseway Multi Transp. Serv., Inc., 738 F.Supp. 214, 217 (E.D.Mich.1990), aff'd, 929 F.2d 701 (6th Cir.1991).

III. Analysis

ERISA defines an employee benefit plan as:

any plan, fund or program which was heretofore or is hereafter established or maintained by an employer ... to the extent that such plan, fund, or program was established or is maintained for the purpose of providing for its participants or their beneficiaries, through the purchase of insurance or otherwise, (A) medical surgical, or hospital care or benefits, or benefits in the event of sickness, accident, disability, death or unemployment....

29 U.S.C. § 1002(1). Clearly, the instant disability insurance policy is consistent with this definition of an employee benefit plan and is therefore governed by ERISA.

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Bluebook (online)
944 F. Supp. 570, 1996 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 16429, 1996 WL 640377, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/holsey-v-unum-life-insurance-of-america-mied-1996.