Most employer-sponsored long-term disability plans are governed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). If you file a claim for long-term disability benefits under a plan that is subject to ERISA and the insurance company or plan administrator denies the claim, you have the right to appeal the denial of benefits.

ERISA generally requires that the insurance company or plan administrator, whichever is handling the claims for benefits, adhere to strict deadlines in reviewing and making decisions about these claims. However, in the event that a claimant wishes to appeal a denial of benefits in federal court, which is the appeal mechanism allowable under ERISA once all administrative appeals have been exhausted, ERISA sets no specific deadline, or statute of limitations, for filing this type of appeal.

As a result, when assessing the statute of limitations in ERISA cases, courts generally look to the next analogous statute of limitations that exist under a particular state’s law. This has led to different statute of limitations for filing ERISA actions in federal court in different states, as each state determines its own statutes of limitations for various types of lawsuits.

In the state of California, some courts have ruled that the most analogous statute of limitations to ERISA actions under state law is the four-year statute of limitations that governs written contractual disputes, as found in Cal. Code of Civ. Proc. § 337. However, some insurance policies contain a contractual statute of limitations, meaning that the policies themselves specify a statute of limitations for filing a civil federal lawsuit regarding the denial of long-term disability benefits. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Heimeshoff v. Hartford Life & Accident Ins. Co., 134 S. Ct. 604, 611 (2013), that contractual statutes of limitations in ERISA-governed plans are acceptable so long as they are reasonable, or not unreasonably short, and are not contrary to controlling state statute.

Since there are potentially different statutes of limitations that might be applicable in suits under ERISA challenging the denial of long-term disability benefits, it is essential to get legal advice if you are involved in a long-term disability claims dispute. Failing to do so could result in your inability to further challenge a denial of benefits.

Bonnici Law Group provides client-focused representation throughout the ERISA claims process. We are here to consider the evidence in support of your ERISA long-term disability claim, evaluate your claim, and develop the strongest and most effective strategy for fighting any denials of coverage that you may receive. Allow us to handle your legal needs while you focus on your physical and emotional health. Contact the ERISA long-term disability attorneys of Bonnici Law Group at 858-261-5454 or help@bonnicilawgroup.com.