Maifeld v. West Coast Life Insurance (In re Maifeld)

495 B.R. 127
United States Bankruptcy Court, D. Massachusetts·Decided July 15, 2013·No. Bankruptcy No. 11-17986-FJB; Adversary No. 12-1311·Published·Cited by 1 cases

Opinion

AMENDED MEMORANDUM OF DECISION ON DEFENDANTS MOTION TO DISMISS

FRANK J. BAILEY, Bankruptcy Judge.

By Count I of his complaint in this adversary proceeding, the plaintiff and chapter 13 debtor, Scott S. Maifeld (“Mai-feld”), seeks damages under Massachusetts law for denial by defendant West Coast Life Insurance Company (“West Coast”) of his claim as a beneficiary under his deceased mother’s life insurance policy. West Coast denied coverage on the basis that the mother’s policy had lapsed before she passed away. Maifeld, arguing that the policy remained in effect, contends that the denial was an unfair claim settlement practice within the meaning of Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 176D, § 3(9) (defining certain acts as unfair claim settlement practices), made actionable through Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 93A, § 9.1 The adversary proceeding is before the court on West Coast’s motion under Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(b)(6) to dismiss this count for failure to state a claim on which relief can be granted. For the reasons set forth below, the court will grant the motion.

By separate order, the court earlier ruled that Count I is related to the Mai-feld’s bankruptcy case but does not arise [129] under the Bankruptcy Code and is not a core proceeding within the meaning of 28 U.S.C. § 157(b). It is therefore subject to 28 U.S.C. § 157(c), under which the bankruptcy court may enter final judgment in the matter only with the consent of both parties. Maifeld so assented in his complaint; and in a later pleading, West Coast has now done the same with respect to Count I. Accordingly, the court now proceeds to decide the matter pursuant to its authority under § 157(c)(2).

a. Standard of Review

When presented with a motion to dismiss under Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(b)(6), the Court must “accept as true all well-pleaded facts set forth in the complaint and draw all reasonable inferences therefrom in the pleader’s favor.” Artuso v. Vertex Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 637 F.3d 1, 5 (1st Cir. 2011). Subject to certain exceptions, a complaint need only contain “a short and plain statement of the claim showing that the pleader is entitled to relief.” Id., citing Fed.R.Civ.P. 8(a)(2).

Although there is no need for “detailed factual allegations,” Bell Atl. Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 555, 127 S.Ct. 1955, 167 L.Ed.2d 929 (2007), the complaint must “contain sufficient factual matter, accepted as true, to ‘state a claim to relief that is plausible on its face.’ ” Ashcroft v. Iqbal [556 U.S. 662], 129 S.Ct. 1937, 1949, 173 L.Ed.2d 868 (2009) (quoting Twombly, 550 U.S. at 570, 127 S.Ct. 1955, 167 L.Ed.2d 929). Accordingly, a complaint must include more than a rote recital of the elements of a cause of action; it must include “factual content that allows the court to draw the reasonable inference that the defendant is liable for the misconduct alleged.” Id. “If the factual allegations in the complaint are too meager, vague, or eonelusory to remove the possibility of relief from the realm of mere conjecture, the complaint is open to dismissal.” S.E.C. v. Tambone, 597 F.3d [436] at 442 [1st Cir.2010] (citing Twombly, 550 U.S. at 555, 127 S.Ct. 1955).

Artuso, 637 F.3d at 5.

b. Arguments of the Parties

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Maifeld v. West Coast Life Insurance (In re Maifeld), 495 B.R. 127 (Mass. 2013).

495 B.R. 127 (Maifeld v. West Coast Life Insurance (In re Maifeld)) — published by Counsel Stack Legal Research, free access to 12M+ legal documents.

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