Rhea v. Alan Ritchey, Inc.

85 F. Supp. 3d 870, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 40036, 2015 WL 1456210
CourtDistrict Court, E.D. Texas
DecidedMarch 30, 2015
DocketCivil Action No. 4:13-cv-00506
StatusPublished
Cited by2 cases

This text of 85 F. Supp. 3d 870 (Rhea v. Alan Ritchey, Inc.) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, E.D. Texas primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Rhea v. Alan Ritchey, Inc., 85 F. Supp. 3d 870, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 40036, 2015 WL 1456210 (E.D. Tex. 2015).

Opinion

MEMORANDUM ADOPTING REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION OF THE UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

RICHARD A. SCHELL, UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

Came on for consideration the report of the United States Magistrate Judge in this action, this matter having been heretofore referred to the United States Magistrate Judge pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 636. On February 13, 2015, the report of the Magistrate Judge was entered containing proposed findings of fact and recommendations that Defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgment (Dkt. 36) be GRANTED, that Plaintiffs Motion for Summary Judgment (Dkt. 39) be DENIED, and that Plaintiff take nothing by her claims. The report further recommended that it be ORDERED that the Alan Ritchey, Inc., Welfare Benefit Plan is the true and correct owner of the disputed $71,644.77 currently held in trust by Plaintiff via her attorneys, that the Alan Ritchey, Inc., Welfare Benefit Plan is entitled to a constructive trust and equitable lien against these funds, and that Plaintiff and her attorneys should be required to turnover the $71,644.77 to Alan Ritchey, Inc. in its fiduciary capacity for the Welfare Benefit Plan. The report further recommended that, if any documents are necessary to complete this turnover, Plaintiff and her attorneys should also be ordered to complete such documents within 30 days of [872]*872the court’s final judgment. Finally, the report found that Defendants should also recover their costs, reserving the matter of an award of attorney’s fees pending supplemental briefing on the issue.

The court has made a de novo review of the objections raised by Plaintiff (see Dkt. 58) and is of the opinion that the findings and conclusions of the Magistrate Judge are correct and the objections are without merit as to the ultimate findings of the Magistrate Judge. The court hereby adopts the findings and conclusions of the Magistrate Judge as the findings and conclusions of this court.

Therefore, Defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgment (Dkt. 36) is GRANTED, Plaintiffs Motion for Summary Judgment (Dkt. 39) is DENIED, and Plaintiff shall • take nothing by her claims. It is further ORDERED that the Alan Ritchey, Inc., Welfare Benefit Plan is the true and correct owner of the disputed $71,644.77 currently held in trust by Plaintiff via her attorneys, that the Alan Ritchey, Inc., Welfare Benefit Plan is entitled to a constructive trust and equitable lien against these funds, and that Plaintiff and her attorneys shall, within 30 days of the final judgment, turnover the $71,644.77 to Alan Ritchey, Inc. in its fiduciary capacity for the Welfare Benefit Plan. If any documents are necessary to complete this turnover, Plaintiff and her attorneys are also ordered to complete such documents within 30 days of the court’s final judgment. Defendants shall also recover their costs.

The court will address any award of attorney’s -fees and enter’ final judgment pending completion of the parties’ supplemental briefing on the attorney’s fees issue.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

REPORT AND RECOMMENDATION OF UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

DON D. BUSH, UNITED STATES MAGISTRATE JUDGE

Now before the Court are Defendants’ Motion for Summary Judgment (Dkt. 36) and Plaintiffs Motion for Summary Judgment (Dkt. 39). The Court makes its findings below.

Background

This case arises out of Plaintiffs settlement of a medical malpractice claim. Plaintiffs husband was an employee of Defendant Alan Ritchey, Inc. which administers its own employee benefits program. Defendant Alan Ritchey, Inc. is the fiduciary of the plan at issue, the Alan Ritchey Inc. Welfare Benefit Plan (“the Plan”). While being treated for the injuries caused by the alleged malpractice, Defendant Alan Ritchey, Inc. Welfare Benefit Plain paid $71,644.77 of Plaintiff s medical expenses. After Plaintiff settled the medical malpractice suit, Defendants claimed a right to reimbursement.

Plaintiff filed this suit under 29 U.S.C. §§ 1132(a)(1)(B) and 1132(a)(3), the Employees Retirement and Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”), seeking a declaration that she was not required to reimburse an ERISA plan from a third party settlement. Defendants filed a counterclaim, also seeking equitable relief under ERISA, including the imposition of a constructive trust and an equitable lien, a declaration of the ERISA plan’s rights, and a turnover order from this Court concerning a portion of the third party settlement.

In May and June 2014, the parties filed cross-motions for summary judgment as to the claims raised. In August 2014, the Court abated all case deadlines pending the Court’s consideration of the pending [873]*873motions for summary judgment. Since that date, both sides have supplemented the summary judgment record with amended evidence and recent authorities. The matter ripe is for resolution, and the Court considers the record before it.

In her motion, Plaintiff argues that there is no “plan” document that complies with ERISA or establishes Defendants’ right to seek reimbursement for benefits paid out of a personal injury settlement. See Dkt. 39. Plaintiff argues that an ERISA plan’s authority, including the right to reimbursement, must be set forth in a plan document. Plaintiff seeks summary judgment declaring that Defendants cannot impose a lien on the settlement proceeds because there is, no “plan” document establishing a right to reimbursement. Plaintiff also seeks dismissal of Defendants’ counterclaims.

Defendants, on the other hand, argue that the benefit plan at issue is an ERISA plan and that the plan documents meet ERISA requirements. See Dkt. 36. Defendants seek the imposition of a constructive trust, a declaration of the Plan’s ownership interest in the settlement funds, and an order directing Plaintiff and her attorneys to turn over the settlement funds up to the lien amount.

Summary Judgment Standard

Summary judgment is appropriate when, viewing the evidence and all justifiable inferences in the light most favorable to the non-moving party, there is no genuine issue of material fact and the moving party is entitled to judgment as a matter of law. Fed. R. Crv. P. 56(c); Hunt v. Cromartie, 526 U.S. 541, 549, 119 S.Ct. 1545, 143 L.Ed.2d 731 (1999). The appropriate inquiry is “whether the evidence presents a sufficient disagreement to require submission to a jury or whether it is so one-sided that one party must prevail as a matter of law.” Anderson v. Liberty Lobby, Inc., 477 U.S. 242, 251-52, 106 S.Ct. 2505, 91 L.Ed.2d 202 (1986).

Analysis

The first issue the Court addresses is whether there is a plan document that complies with ERISA and establishes Defendants’ right to seek reimbursement for benefits paid out of a personal injury settlement.

In this case, it is undisputed that, for Defendants to have any right to reimbursement of benefits paid, that right must be spelled out in a written instrument. 29 U.S.C.

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Bluebook (online)
85 F. Supp. 3d 870, 2015 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 40036, 2015 WL 1456210, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/rhea-v-alan-ritchey-inc-txed-2015.