Willard v. Ohio Operating Engineers Pension Plan

942 F. Supp. 2d 748, 54 Employee Benefits Cas. (BNA) 2674, 2013 WL 371931, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12443
CourtDistrict Court, S.D. Ohio
DecidedJanuary 30, 2013
DocketCase No. 2:12-cv-266
StatusPublished

This text of 942 F. Supp. 2d 748 (Willard v. Ohio Operating Engineers Pension Plan) is published on Counsel Stack Legal Research, covering District Court, S.D. Ohio primary law. Counsel Stack provides free access to over 12 million legal documents including statutes, case law, regulations, and constitutions.

Bluebook
Willard v. Ohio Operating Engineers Pension Plan, 942 F. Supp. 2d 748, 54 Employee Benefits Cas. (BNA) 2674, 2013 WL 371931, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12443 (S.D. Ohio 2013).

Opinion

OPINION AND ORDER

JAMES L. GRAHAM, District Judge.

This is an action filed pursuant to the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (“ERISA”), 29 U.S.C. § 1001 et seq. Plaintiff Douglas Willard, a former employee of the Ohio Operating Engineers, asserts claims against the Ohio Operating Engineers Pension Plan (“the Pension Plan”) and its Board of Trustees, and against the Ohio Operating Engineers Health and Welfare Plan (“the Welfare Plan”) and its Board of Trustees. This matter is before the court on defendants’ motion pursuant to Fed.R.Civ.P. 12(c) for partial judgment on the pleadings.

I. Rule 12(c) Standards

Courts apply the same analysis to motions for judgment on the pleadings under Rule 12(c) as they apply to motions to dismiss under Fed. R.Civ.P. 12(b)(6). See Warrior Sports, Inc. v. National Collegiate Athletic Ass’n, 623 F.3d 281, 284 (6th Cir.2010). “For purposes of a motion for judgment on the pleadings, all well-pleaded material allegations of the pleadings of the opposing party must be taken as true, and the motion may be granted only if the moving party is nevertheless clearly entitled to judgment.” JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. v. Winget, 510 F.3d 577, 582 (6th Cir.2007) (internal citation and quotation marks omitted). However, the court need not accept as true legal conclusions or unwarranted factual inferences. Id. (citing Mixon v. Ohio, 193 F.3d 389, 400 (6th Cir.1999)).

To withstand a Rule 12(c) motion for judgment on the pleadings, “a complaint must contain direct or inferential allegations respecting all the material elements under some viable legal theory.” Commercial Money Ctr., Inc. v. Illinois Union Ins. Co., 508 F.3d 327, 336 (6th Cir.2007). “The factual allegations in the complaint need to be sufficient to give notice to the defendant as to what claims are alleged, and the plaintiff must plead ‘sufficient factual matter’ to render the legal claim plausible, i.e., more than merely possible.” Fritz v. Charter Township of Comstock, [751]*751592 F.3d 718, 722 (6th Cir.2010) (quoting Ashcroft v. Iqbal, 556 U.S. 662, 129 S.Ct. 1937, 1949-50, 173 L.Ed.2d 868 (2009)). A “legal conclusion couched as a factual allegation” need not be accepted as true, nor are recitations of the elements of a cause of action sufficient. Hensley Mfg. v. Pro-Pride, Inc., 579 F.3d 603, 609 (6th Cir.2009) (quoting Bell Atlantic Corp. v. Twombly, 550 U.S. 544, 555, 127 S.Ct. 1955, 167 L.Ed.2d 929 (2007)).

In considering a motion for judgment on the pleadings, the court considers the pleadings, which consist of the complaint, the answer, and any written instruments attached as exhibits. Fed. R.Civ.P. 12(c); Fed. R.Civ.P. .7(a) (defining “pleadings” to include both the complaint and the answer); Housing Authority Risk Retention Group, Inc. v. Chicago Housing Auth., 378 F.3d 596, 600 (7th Cir.2004). While the allegations in the complaint are the primary focus in assessing a Rule 12(c) motion, “matters of public record, orders, items appearing in the record of the case, and exhibits attached to the complaint[] also may be taken into account.” Barany-Snyder v. Weiner, 539 F.3d 327, 332 (6th Cir.2008) (quoting Amini v. Oberlin Coll., 259 F.3d 493, 502 (6th Cir.2001)). The court may also consider exhibits attached to defendant’s motion so long as they are referred to in the complaint and are central to the claims contained therein. Bassett v. National Collegiate Athletic Ass’n 528 F.3d 426, 430 (6th Cir.2008); see also Nixon v. Wilmington Trust Co., 543 F.3d 354, 357 (6th Cir.2008) (a court may consider a document not formally incorporated by reference in a complaint when the complaint refers to the document and the document is central to the claims).

II. Plaintiffs Claims

Plaintiff alleges in his complaint filed on March 28, 2012, that he was employed with the Ohio Operating Engineers in 1992 as a heavy crane operator, and was a participant in the Welfare and Pension Plans. Complaint, ¶¶ 5, 17. After being diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 2005, he was awarded pension disability benefits under the Pension Plan effective April 1, 2006, and under the Welfare Plan effective May 26, 2006. Complaint, ¶¶ 23-24. On March 18, 2011, plaintiff received a letter from Ray Orrand, Administrator of the Pension Plan, requesting that plaintiff provide his tax records to verify that he was not working as an operating engineer in excess of forty hours per month. Complaint, ¶25. Plaintiff provided his 2010 W-2 form. Complaint, ¶ 26. Plaintiff was notified by letter dated April 18, 2011, that his benefits under the Pension Plan would be terminated effective May 1, 2011, on the grounds that plaintiff had been working as a farm hand and driver and was no longer qualified to receive disability pension benefits. Complaint, ¶¶ 27-28. Plaintiff appealed this determination through a letter from his attorney dated May 12, 2011, and plaintiffs benefits were reinstated for the month of June, 2011. Complaint, ¶¶ 34-36, 38-39.

Plaintiff further alleges that on July 20, 2011, he submitted to a physical examination by Doctor Shadel pursuant to the terms of the Welfare Plan. Complaint, ¶¶ 40^11. By letter dated August 8, 2011, signed by Ray Orrand as Administrator of the Welfare Plan, plaintiff was notified that his benefits under the Welfare Plan were being terminated on the grounds that Dr. Shadel did not find any permanent total disability from working as a heavy equipment operator because plaintiffs non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma was in remission. Complaint, ¶¶ 42-43.

By letter dated August 15, 2011, signed by Ray Orrand as Administrator of the Pension Plan, plaintiff was notified that his benefits under the Pension Plan were ter[752]*752minated because plaintiff was working as a dump truck driver and had a current commercial driver’s license. Complaint, ¶¶ 42, 44. Plaintiff alleges that the statement in this letter that plaintiff had admitted to Dr. Shadel that he worked as an operating engineer after 2005 was false. Complaint, ¶ 46. By letter of plaintiffs counsel dated October 14, 2011, plaintiff appealed this determination to the Pension Plan Board. Complaint, ¶ 47. By letter dated February 3, 2012, plaintiff was notified by the Board of the Pension Plan that his appeal was denied. Complaint, ¶ 52.

Free access — add to your briefcase to read the full text and ask questions with AI

Related

Varity Corp. v. Howe
516 U.S. 489 (Supreme Court, 1996)
Bell Atlantic Corp. v. Twombly
550 U.S. 544 (Supreme Court, 2007)
Ashcroft v. Iqbal
556 U.S. 662 (Supreme Court, 2009)
Alan Weiner, D.P.M. v. Klais and Company, Inc.
108 F.3d 86 (Sixth Circuit, 1997)
Saeid B. Amini v. Oberlin College
259 F.3d 493 (Sixth Circuit, 2001)
Lloyd Marks v. Newcourt Credit Group, Inc.
342 F.3d 444 (Sixth Circuit, 2003)
Nixon v. Wilmington Trust Co.
543 F.3d 354 (Sixth Circuit, 2008)
Bassett v. National Collegiate Athletic Ass'n
528 F.3d 426 (Sixth Circuit, 2008)
Fritz v. Charter Township of Com-Stock
592 F.3d 718 (Sixth Circuit, 2010)
Hensley Manufacturing, Inc. v. Propride, Inc.
579 F.3d 603 (Sixth Circuit, 2009)

Cite This Page — Counsel Stack

Bluebook (online)
942 F. Supp. 2d 748, 54 Employee Benefits Cas. (BNA) 2674, 2013 WL 371931, 2013 U.S. Dist. LEXIS 12443, Counsel Stack Legal Research, https://law.counselstack.com/opinion/willard-v-ohio-operating-engineers-pension-plan-ohsd-2013.