Current Trends in Disability Benefit, Life Insurance Plan, and Accidental Death and Dismemberment Litigation

Chicago partner Kimberly Jones will present at the American Bar Association 2020 Employee Benefits Committee (EBC) Midwinter Meeting in Rancho Mirage, California, February 5-8, 2020.

Kim will join the panel “Current Trends in Disability Benefit, Life Insurance Plan and AD&D Litigation,” on February 6, 2020, along with Mark DeBofsky of DeBofsky Sherman Casiciari Reynolds PC and Matthew Leppert of Schuchat Cook & Werner. The panel will discuss evolving case law on discovery under the de novo and “arbitrary and capricious” standards of review; whether substantial compliance with the benefit claims regulations impacts the litigation proceedings; and how the new disability claims regulations affect the appeal and litigation proceedings. The panel also will discuss what constitutes an accident for the purposes of an accidental death claim, how the courts are interpreting criminal acts exclusions, and plan design issues particular to life and accidental death and dismemberment policies.

The conference will feature panelists representing management, union, employees and government on current employee benefits issues.