Cabana v. Reliance Standard Ins.
Los Angeles Own-Occupation Disability Insurance Bad Faith Attorneys
Attorney: Michael B. Horrow
Case: Cabana v. Reliance Standard Ins. Co. (C.D. Cal. 2014) 2014 WL 4793036
Case Description
April Cabana suffered back and leg injuries in an automobile accident. She succeeded in obtaining long-term disability insurance benefits, which was administered by Reliance. After the accident Cabana received extensive treatment on her back, undergoing two spinal-fusion surgeries. Yet she continued to have severe pain. Reliance agreed that she was totally disabled under the “own occupation” disability standard that applied for the first 24 months of the plan. After the 24-month period, the insurance company applied an “any occupation” test for total disability, and the insurance company continued to find that she was disabled. But roughly a year later, the insurance company changed its finding, found that Cabana was no longer totally disabled, and stopped paying benefits.
Cabana retained Michael Horrow to file an action in federal court under ERISA to reinstate her LTD benefits. He marshalled the evidence of her ongoing pain and medical difficulties, and convinced the district court at trial that Cabana was, in fact, totally disabled and entitled to benefits.”
- Download Cabana v Reliance Standard Life Ins. Co. (PDF)
- More Verdicts and Settlements
- Disability Claims and ERISA vs. Non-ERISA Insurance
About Michael B. Horrow
With a particular emphasis in disability, life and health insurance litigation, attorney Michael Horrow has fought successfully against the biggest insurance companies and won. Some of the insurance companies he has successfully prevailed against IG, UNUM Provident, MetLife, AETNA, Hartford, F & G Life, CIGNA, Life insurance Company of North America, State Farm, Farmers, Prudential, Trustmark, Paul Revere, UNUM Life, Provident, Mass Mutual and Mass Casualty.
Mr. Horrow has recovered millions of dollars on claims like these:
- Denial of individually purchased disability insurance benefits – including denials of ERISA disability benefits;
- Denial of health insurance benefits including a failure to pay insurance bills AFTER the insurance company has approved a procedure or surgery;
- Denial of life insurance claims;
- Denial of long term care insurance claims;
- Denial or delay of property insurance claims including underpayment of the claim;
- Denial or delay in payment of uninsured motorist claims.