Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. v. Waddell

194 F. Supp. 3d 1340, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 184264, 2016 WL 5346365
CourtDistrict Court, N.D. Georgia
DecidedJuly 6, 2016
DocketCIVIL ACTION NO. 2:15-CV-43-WCO
StatusPublished
Cited by1 cases

This text of 194 F. Supp. 3d 1340 (Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. v. Waddell) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, N.D. Georgia primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Metropolitan Life Insurance Co. v. Waddell, 194 F. Supp. 3d 1340, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 184264, 2016 WL 5346365 (N.D. Ga. 2016).

Opinion

ORDER

WILLIAM C. O’KELLEY, Senior United States District Judge

The captioned case is before the court for consideration of motions for summary judgment filed by defendants Ann Marshall Waddell (“Ann Waddell”) and Anne Marie Bishop (“Anne Bishop”) (together “Mrs. Waddell”) [39, 40] and a motion for summary judgment filed by defendant Devin Lanier Waddell (“Devin Waddell”) [41].

I. Facts

Lanier Gene Waddell (“Lanier Wad-dell”) was married to Ann Waddell prior to his death on December 23, 2013. (Mrs. Waddell’s Statement of Undisputed Material Facts ¶ 1.) On or about April 30, 2003, Ann Waddell was involved in an accident that caused her a permanent traumatic brain injury. (Tharpe Decl. ¶3.) Defendant Anne Bishop is her conservator. (Mrs. Waddell’s Statement of Undisputed Material Facts ¶ 3.) Until October of 2013, Lanier Waddell was Ann Waddell’s conservator.1 (Devin Waddell’s Statement of Undisputed Material Facts ¶ 8.) Defendant Devin Waddell is Lanier Waddell’s son and Ann Waddell’s stepson. (Mrs. Waddell’s Statement of Undisputed Material Facts ¶4.) Devin Waddell is the administrator of Lanier Waddell’s estate (the “Estate”). (Devin Waddell’s Statement of Undisputed Material Facts ¶ 3.)

[1344]*1344Lanier Waddell obtained life insurance through his employment with Alcatel-Lu-cent USA, Incorporated (“Alcatel”). (Mrs. Waddell’s Statement of Undisputed Material Facts ¶5.) Metropolitan Life Insurance Company (“MetLife”) underwrote the policies involved in this interpleader action. (Id. at ¶ 6.) According to MetLife, Lanier Waddell was insured under two policies, the Alcatel-Lucent Group Life Insurance Plan for Retired Employees (the “Basic Policy”) and the Alcatel-Lucent Group Term Life Insurance Plan (the “Term Policy”). (Id. at ¶7.) Each policy is worth $60,000. (Id. at ¶ 8.) With regard to both policies, the Summary Plan Description (the “SPD”) provides that “after your retirement, the beneficiary(ies) for your basic life insurance coverage and/or group universal life insurance coverage are the same as those designated while you were actively employed.” (Id. at ¶ 9.)

On October 12, 1983, Lanier Waddell designated Ann Waddell as the beneficiary of the Basic Policy. (Id. at ¶ 10.) At the time of his death, there was no beneficiary on file under the Term Policy. (Id. at ¶ 11.) In this regard, the SPD states:

If ... you did not designate a beneficiary, payment will be made to your next surviving relative(s) and considered in this order:
• your spouse or domestic partner,
• your children,
• your parents,
• your brother and sister.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the insurer may pay all or part 'of such amount to your estate.

(Id. at ¶ 12.) In addition, the Term Policy states:

If there is no Beneficiary at your death for any amount of benefits payable because of your death, that amount will be paid to one or more of the following persons who are related to you and who survive you:
(a) Spouse;
(b) children);
(c) parents;
(d) sibling(s) or your estate if there is no surviving sibling.
However, we may instead pay all or part of that amount to your estate.

(Id. at ¶ 13.)

On December 23, 2013, Lanier Waddell died suddenly and unexpectedly of a heart attack. (Devin Waddell’s Statement of Undisputed Material Facts ¶ 21.) On January 10, 2014, Devin Waddell called MetLife and stated that Lanier Waddell had died and that he believed Lanier Waddell had sent change of beneficiary forms for his life insurance policies. (Devin Waddell Decl. ¶2.) Regarding this call, MetLife’s claims file states: “[Devin Waddell] said there is a conservator for the bene. She is incapacitated. He said there was a change of bene form sent to the ER. Told him I do not see that. Gave him the recordkeeper # to call and verify bene.” (Mrs. Waddell’s Mot. for Summ. J. Ex. 1,119.) Upon learning that Ann Waddell was incapacitated and had a conservator, MetLife sent the forms to Anne Bishop to complete in order for MetLife to pay benefits. (Mrs. Wad-dell’s Statement of Undisputed Material Facts ¶ 18.)

In a letter dated March 19, 2014, Met-Life informed Clyde Y. Morris (“Morris”), Devin Waddell’s attorney, that “neither [Devin Waddell] nor the Estate are named beneficiary of the Basic [Policy] coverage [and that the Term Policy] is payable per facility of payment.” (Mrs. Waddell’s Mot. [1345]*1345for Summ. J. Ex. 1, 204.) On March 26, 2014, in a letter to MetLife, Morris wrote, among other things:

My letter of March 18, 2014, informed you that my client is the legally authorized Attorney-in-Fact for Ann Marshall Waddell, an incapacitated adult, and requested copies of various documents regarding two MetLife group life policies owned by her now-deceased husband, Lanier Gene Waddell. Yesterday I received your reply dated March 19 ignoring the POA and declining my request .... This letter will serve as a demand on behalf of Devin L. Waddell, Administrator of the Estate of Lanier Gene Waddell, that payment of all policy’ benefits be made to the Estate of Lanier Gene Waddell. This letter will also serve to put MetLife on notice that failure to pay the policy benefits to the estate may have severe legal consequences and will be considered grounds for legal action and damages against MetLife. In addition, I am renewing my request for the information and documents . previously requested, on the grounds that my client, Devin L. Waddell, is the legally authorizéd Attorney-in-Fact for Ann Marshall Waddell, an incapacitated adult.

(Id. at 205.)

In a letter dated April 3, 2014, MetLife informed Morris:

We are in receipt of the completed Claimant’s Affidavit and your- client’s completed Claimant’s Statement regarding the above referenced claims.
The Basic [Policy] is an employee welfare benefit plan regulated by [ERISA]. MetLife, as claims fiduciary, must administer claims in accordance with ERISA and the documents and instruments governing the [Policy]. ERISA defines beneficiary as a “person designated by a participant, or by the terms of an employee benefit plan, who is or may become entitled to a benefit thereunder.” 29 U.S.C. § 1002(8).
As the Claim’s fiduciary for the [Term Policy], MetLife is required to review and process the claim in accordance with the documents and instruments governing the [Policy],
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The decedent completed a beneficiary designation form dated May 22, 1981 for the [Basic Policy] benefits. However, this beneficiary form does not name your client, as an individual nor as the estate representative of Lanier Waddell as the beneficiary of record.
Additionally, the decedent did not designate a beneficiary on file with the policy for the [Term Policy] benefits.

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Bluebook (online)
194 F. Supp. 3d 1340, 2016 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 184264, 2016 WL 5346365, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/metropolitan-life-insurance-co-v-waddell-gand-2016.