The Fifth Circuit concluded that an individual plaintiff was not entitled to attorneys’ fees, even though she persuaded the Fifth Circuit to vacate and remand a summary judgment decision in favor of the Humana Health Plan, because her victory was “purely procedural.” While ERISA section 502(g)(1) provides that a court “in its discretion may allow
Attorneys' Fees
Fifth Circuit: Procedural Win Is Not Grounds for Attorney’s Fees
By Lindsey Chopin on
The Fifth Circuit concluded that a plan participant was not entitled to recover attorneys’ fees for obtaining a remand order requiring the district court to apply a de novo, rather than abuse of discretion, standard of review to the administrative determination of her benefit claim. In so ruling, the Court applied the principles enunciated…
Second Circuit Requires Reevaluation of ERISA Attorney Fee Judgment
By Benjamin Flaxenburg on
The Second Circuit determined that a district court erred when it denied an attorney fee award to an ERISA plaintiff who had sought benefits from a plan. In so ruling, the Second Circuit first concluded the district court incorrectly determined that the plaintiff had not achieved “some success”—a threshold requirement for an ERISA fee award—because…
Ninth Circuit Considers Pre-Appeal Conduct in Plan’s Request for Appellate Attorney’s Fees
By Benjamin Flaxenburg on
The Ninth Circuit ruled that a district court erred by failing to consider the entire course of the litigation when analyzing a request for attorney’s fees under ERISA and remanded the case for a calculation of fees. A plan participant filed suit against a plan and insurer seeking disability benefits. The plan, in turn, filed…
Court Awards $11.7M in Attorneys’ Fees In Fund Mapping Case
By Neil V. Shah on
The court in Tussey v. ABB Inc., No. 2:06-cv-04305 (W.D. Mo. Dec. 9, 2015), a long-running suit alleging that ABB failed to monitor recordkeeping fees and improperly mapped participants’ investments (previously reported on here), awarded class counsel $11.7 million in attorneys’ fees and affirmed its earlier award of $2.28 million in costs and…
Third Circuit: Catalyst Theory of Recovery Applies to ERISA Fee Award
By Madeline Chimento Rea on
The Third Circuit held that the catalyst theory of recovery applies to ERISA cases when determining whether to award attorneys’ fees. In this case, Plaintiffs (two individuals and two pharmacies) filed suit against Defendant insurance companies for denial of benefits under ERISA. After their motion to dismiss was denied, Defendants paid the claims in full. Both parties then sought attorneys’ fees and costs, which the district court denied. The Third Circuit affirmed the district court’s decision to deny fees, but remanded on the issue of whether Plaintiffs were entitled to interest on the delayed payment of benefits. Ultimately, the Defendants agreed to pay $68,000 in interest to Plaintiffs and the case settled.
Second Circuit: Five Factors Still Relevant to ERISA Attorney Fee Awards
By Anthony Cacace on
The Second Circuit recently had occasion to provide guidance to the lower courts on the standard for evaluating an ERISA attorneys’ fee application following the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling in Hardt v. Reliance Standard Life Ins. Co., 560 U.S. 242 (2010). As previously reported, in Hardt, the Supreme Court observed that ERISA’s fee…
U.S. Supreme Court: A Decision on the Merits Triggers the Time to Appeal Irrespective of a Pending Contractual or Statutory Attorneys’ Fee Application
By Todd Mobley on
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in a unanimous opinion that an unresolved claim for attorney’s fees does not prevent a decision on the merits of an ERISA suit from becoming final for purposes of the deadline to file a notice of appeal to a federal appellate court. Ray Haluch Gravel Co. v. Cent. Pension Fund…