7th Circuit Affirms Death Benefit Denial, Finds Failure to Exhaust Dooms Claim

The beneficiaries of an accidental death and dismemberment policy failed to properly appeal a denial of benefits under that policy, dooming their claim for benefits, according to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit (Orr v. Assurant Emp. Benefits, 2015 BL 154631, 7th Cir., 14-2370, 5/19/15).

In a May 19 opinion, Judge William J. Bauer affirmed a ruling by the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, finding that the beneficiaries of the policy failed to exhaust administrative remedies when they didn’t complete the second level administrative review as detailed in an initial ...