TAMPA — A former Staples employee is suing Life Insurance Company of North America, an insurer, citing alleged breach of contract.
Cindy Vaughn filed a complaint on Dec. 1, in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida against Life Insurance Company of North America alleging that the insurer violated the Employee Retirement Income Security Act or ERISA through non-payment of plan benefits.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that, in July 2012, she was forced to stop working due to severe cervical degenerative disc disease. Athough she was approved to receive long term disability benefits from December 2012, she was informed that benefits would not be payable after January 28, 2015. Moreover, her appeal for reinstatement of benefits were further denied by the defendant, which caused plaintiff to suffer economic damages. The plaintiff holds Life Insurance Company of North America responsible because the defendant allegedly failed to pay disability benefit payments to plaintiff, and failed to provide a prompt and reasonable explanation of the basis for the denial of plaintiff’s claims.
The plaintiff requests a trial by jury and seeks judgment against the defendant, entitlement to long-term disability benefits, award unpaid benefits in the amount of $40,106 plus interest, attorneys' fees, costs, and further relief as the court deems just. She is represented by William C. Demas and John V. Tucker of Tucker & Ludin PA in St. Petersburg.
U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida Case number 16-cv-03305