Source: s3://data.kl3m.ai/documents/govinfo/USCOURTS/USCOURTS-arwd-3_04-cv-03019/USCOURTS-arwd-3_04-cv-03019-5/pdf.json

Nature of Suit Code: 110
Nature of Suit: Insurance
Cause of Action: 29:1002 E.R.I.S.A.: Employee Retirement

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IN THE UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT

WESTERN DISTRICT OF ARKANSAS

HARRISON DIVISION

JAMES H. COFFMAN, EXECUTOR OF THE

ESTATE OF MARY L. McBRIDE, DECEASED PLAINTIFF

v. Civil No. 04-3019

THE PRUDENTIAL INSURANCE COMPANY

OF AMERICA DEFENDANT

O R D E R

Now on this 28th day of March, 2007, come on for consideration

plaintiff's Rule 59 Motion To Amend Judgment (document #39) and

Substituted Motion To Amend Judgment (document #40). It appearing

that the first of these motions was filed in error, that motion will

be summarily denied, and the Court will address only the second of

the motions.

1. This case arose under the Employee Retirement Income

Security Act ("ERISA"). Plaintiff Mary McBride (now deceased),

filed suit on March 31, 2004, alleging that her employer, Centurytel

of Mountain Home, Inc. ("CenturyTel"), sponsored and administered an

employee benefit plan ("the Plan") which included provisions for

disability insurance and a continuing policy of life insurance for

employees who became disabled. McBride alleged that she had become

disabled, and sought - along with past-due short and long term

disability benefits - "reimbursement for all premiums required to be

paid by the Plaintiff or necessary for reinstatement in the waiver

of premium provisions under the life insurance plan including but

not limited to pre-judgment interest on said amounts."

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2. On September 21, 2006, the Court entered summary judgment

in McBride's favor, finding that she was entitled to long-term

disability benefits. In the same Order, the Court dismissed

CenturyTel and MetLife, finding that McBride had made no showing of

any conduct on their part that affected the termination of her

disability benefits.

3. Although the Court had not been so advised when it entered

the September 21 Order, McBride had passed away on January 13, 2006.

The Court's finding that she was entitled to disability benefits

would, under the allegations of the Complaint, have ripened a claim

for the proceeds of the life insurance said to be a part of

CenturyTel's employee benefits package. The Substituted Motion To

Amend Judgment asks the Court to "reinstate" CenturyTel and MetLife,

so that McBride's executor can recover the proceeds of the life

insurance policy.

4. F.R.C.P. 60 allows for relief "from a final judgment,

order, or proceeding" for a variety of specific reasons, none

particularly relevant here, and - under subsection (b)(6) - for "any

other reason justifying relief from the operation of the judgment."

The Court believes that the situation described above logically

falls into this category, given that until two things occurred (a

finding in favor of McBride on the disability issue, and her

unfortunate death) the life insurance claim was not ripe. It has

been said that a motion pursuant to F.R.C.P. 60(b)(6) allows "a

district court to inject equity and revive an otherwise lifeless

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claim." Watkins v. Lundell, 169 F.3d 540, 544 (8th Cir. 1999). 

A motion for such relief must be made "within a reasonable

time." What length of time is reasonable depends on the particular

facts of the case. Middleton v. McDonald, 388 F.3d 614, 617 (8th

Cir. 2004). Documentation submitted in connection with a request

for attorney's fees indicates that plaintiff's counsel was informed

that McBride had passed away on September 1, 2006, and the Order

dismissing CenturyTel and MetLife was entered on September 21, 2006.

The motion now under consideration was filed a little over five

months later, on February 26, 2007. While the Court could have

wished for more prompt action, it is not persuaded that a five-month

delay is unreasonable under the circumstances of this case.

5. Both CenturyTel and Prudential admit that the Plan

provided life insurance benefits to covered individuals, but assert

that such life insurance was provided by a company which was never

named as a defendant in this suit. Prudential and MetLife both deny

that they issued any type of life insurance policy insuring

McBride's life, and point out that McBride pled, in paragraph 7 of

her Complaint, that the life insurance policy in question was issued

by John Hancock. Plaintiff has not denied the assertion that life

insurance, although available under the Plan, was not available from

any of the named defendants. Nor has plaintiff offered any

authority that would allow the Court to grant relief from a judgment

or order in the form of allowing pursuit of recovery from an unnamed

entity. For these reasons, the Court concludes that it would be a

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futile act to grant the requested relief, and the motion will be

denied.

IT IS THEREFORE ORDERED that plaintiff's Rule 59 Motion To

Amend Judgment (document #39) is denied.

IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that plaintiff's Substituted Motion To

Amend Judgment (document #40) is denied.

IT IS SO ORDERED.

 /s/ Jimm Larry Hendren 

JIMM LARRY HENDREN

UNITED STATES DISTRICT JUDGE

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