Sun Life Victorious in Ex-Repairman’s Disability Benefits Suit

Sun Life Insurance of Canada successfully demonstrated its decision denying short-term disability benefits to a former traffic signal repairman wasn’t an abuse of discretion, a federal judge said.

Kristoffer Erickson sought benefits after coming down with a “disabling illness,” but the insurance company won its summary judgment motion where it was able to show it could legally rely on peer reviews of evidence Erickson submitted to deny him his benefits request, according to the US District Court for the District of Utah. There was no abuse of discretion in Sun Life’s definition of disability either.

After the initial denial of ...