Peters v. Reliance Standard Life Insurance Co.

238 F. Supp. 3d 905, 2017 WL 713792, 2017 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 25222
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. Texas
DecidedFebruary 23, 2017
DocketCIVIL ACTION NO. 3:16-CV-60
StatusPublished

This text of 238 F. Supp. 3d 905 (Peters v. Reliance Standard Life Insurance Co.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Peters v. Reliance Standard Life Insurance Co., 238 F. Supp. 3d 905, 2017 WL 713792, 2017 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 25222 (S.D. Tex. 2017).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM OPINION AND ORDER

George C. Hanks Jr., United States District Judge

Before the Court is Defendant Reliance Standard Life Insurance Company’s Motion to Dismiss Pursuant to Fed. R. Civ. P. 12(b)(6). Dkt. 8. This case stems from Reliance’s decision to discontinue long-term disability payments to Peters. It did so after learning that Peters had entered a settlement agreement (“Agreement”) with his employer. The Agreement allegedly released his employer and its insurers from liability. Peters claims that the Agreement did not release Reliance from its responsibility to continue paying disability benefits. For the reasons that follow, the Court GRANTS the motion to dismiss.

I. Statement of the Undisputed Facts

The undisputed facts, in the light most favorable to plaintiff as the non-moving party, are as follows. Reginald Peters (“Peters”) was employed with Averitt Express, Inc. (“Averitt”). Peters obtained disability insurance with the defendant, Reliance Standard Life Insurance Company (“Reliance”), through his employment with Averitt. In 2011, Peters sustained injuries [907]*907when he was struck by a tractor-trailer driven by another Averitt employee. Aver-itt was not a subscriber to the Texas Workers’ Compensation System. Peters brought a suit in negligence against Aver-itt in the 152nd Judicial District Court of Harris County, Texas. Pursuant to this litigation, Peters and Averitt entered into the Agreement in which Peters received $2,500,000 in exchange for releasing Aver-itt from any future liability.

A. The Agreement

The following sections of the Confidential Settlement, Indemnity and Release Agreement are relevant to this case:

I. Definitions
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B. “Releasees” means Averitt Express, Inc. and Averitt Properties Texas, L.P., and all of their past, present and future, affiliated, related, successor, predecessor, subsidiary and parent companies and corporations, and with respect to each of the foregoing, their contractors, subcontractors, joint venturers, partners, officers, directors, shareholders, agents, representatives, employees, attorneys, insurers and indemnitors (specifically including, but not limited to, Lexington Insurance Company, American International Group, Inc.), and all parties in privity therewith.
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III. General Release
1. Releasors, in exchange for the Consideration ... do fully and finally RELEASE, ACQUIT and FOREVER DISCHARGE Releasees of and from any and all past, present and future claims, suits, demands, liabilities, damages, debts, dues, liens, actions, and/or causes of action of whatsoever nature, known or unknown, accrued or unac-crued, foreseen or unforeseen, proximate or remote, whether permanent, temporary or residual, whether in law, in equity, in admiralty, in tort, in contract, by statute or otherwise, including, but not limited to, all: ... long term disability benefits ... any insurance policy ... and any and all other damages or other items of possible recovery whatsoever to which Releasors may be or might be entitled at the time of this Agreement, arising out of, resulting from, or that are in any way related, directly or indirectly, to the Incident, Reginald Peters’ employment with Aver-itt Express, Inc., and/or the Lawsuit.
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6. Releasors acknowledge, understand and agree that by accepting the Consideration they may be waiving rights to benefits such as social security, death and/or disability, Medicare and/or Medicaid benefits, whether provided by ... any insuring company, providing health, hospitalization, disability or other insurance payments or benefits. Relea-sors agree and understand that by entering into this Agreement they are releasing any and all claims against the Releasees related in any way to the aforementioned benefits....
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VI. Representations and Warranties
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3. Plaintiffs Reginald and Joyce Peters represent and warrant that they are executing this Agreement on their own judgment and upon advice of counsel of their own choosing.
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10. Plaintiffs Reginald and Joyce Peters represent and warrant that this Agreement is fully and forever binding on Releasors.
11. Plaintiffs Reginald and Joyce Peters represent and warrant that they have not filed and are not a party to any [908]*908lawsuits, claims or other legal proceedings arising out of, or related, directly or indirectly, to the Incident other than [this] suit ....
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X. Choice of Law
This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with and governed by the laws of the State of Texas.

Dkt. 8-2

B. The Instant Lawsuit

Reliance had paid Peters long-time disability benefits as required by the policy. However, Reliance ceased payments when it learned of the Agreement. When the payments stopped, Peters brought the instant suit against Reliance. Dkt. 1. According to Peters, Reliance’s decision to cease paying long-term disability benefits: 1) was improper; 2) was improperly motivated by an attempt to avoid its obligations to pay benefits; and 3) interfered with his right to receive disability benefits. Id. The Complaint therefore asserted causes of action for: 1) denial of benefits; 2) breach of fiduciary duty; and 3) interference, seeking damages and injunctive relief. Id.

In its motion to dismiss, Reliance argues that Peters released it from any obligation to continue paying long-term disability benefits when he entered into the Agreement with Averitt. Dkt. 8. Its motion to dismiss points to language in the Agreement that 1) names Averitt’s ‘insurers’ as Releasees; and 2) discharges all Releasees from—inter alia—long-term disability or insurance claims. Id. Peters counters that Reliance was not a party to the Agreement, which did not specifically name Reliance as a Releasee—although it did expressly identify several other insurers of Averitt. Dkt. 9.

Through the Complaint, the motion to dismiss, and the parties’ responsive pleadings and filings with the Court, Peters and Reliance disagree on many points of fact and law. However, two central issues have emerged: 1) the applicable law to apply and 2) whether, under the appropriate law, Peters released Reliance from its obligation to pay disability benefits.

II. Standard of Review

A. Jurisdiction

The parties agree that the Court has federal question jurisdiction over this case pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 1331 and—specifically—the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”). See 29 U.S.C. § 1132(e)(1).

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Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
238 F. Supp. 3d 905, 2017 WL 713792, 2017 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 25222, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/peters-v-reliance-standard-life-insurance-co-txsd-2017.