Opinion ID: 2976436
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 4

Heading: Drs. Ewald and DeSantis

Text: Huffaker next argues that MetLife erred in relying on the opinions of Drs. Ewald and DeSantis because reliance on non-examining medical sources is “disfavored,” and they ignored functional limitations diagnosed by Dr. Bozeman. But it is well-established that MetLife need not necessarily defer to the opinions of treating physicians. See Black & Decker Disability Plan v. Nord, 538 U.S. 822, 834 (2003). We have held that “[g]enerally, when a plan administrator chooses to rely upon the medical opinion of one doctor over that of another . . . the plan administrator's decision cannot be said to have been arbitrary and capricious.” McDonald v. W.-S. Life Ins. Co., 347 F.3d -15- 161, 169 (6th Cir. 2003). And we observed in Calvert v. Firstar Finance, Inc., 409 F.3d 286, 295 (6th Cir. 2005), that “reliance on a file review does not, standing alone, require the conclusion that [the administrator] acted improperly.” Thus, we “find nothing inherently objectionable about a file review by a qualified physician in the context of a benefits determination.” Id. at 296. Although “the failure to conduct a physical examination–especially where the right to do so is specifically reserved in the plan–may, in some cases, raise questions about the thoroughness and accuracy of the benefits determination,” id. at 295, this case does not present such an instance. Here, MetLife obtained an independent medical examination, namely that of Dr. Uzzle. Dr. Uzzle’s examination of Huffaker, however, was unfavorable to her disability claim. He personally examined Huffaker and determined that she was not disabled, noting the absence of “specific objective and verifiable anatomic problem to explain her varied symptomatology.” Our review of Drs. Ewald and DeSantis’s reports indicates that they reviewed the findings of Dr. Bozeman, and each found that Huffaker’s medical record did not show the existence of a functional limitation that would prevent Huffaker from doing her job. Dr. DeSantis’s report mentions that she could find no actual physical medical condition that would keep [Huffaker] from being able to physically perform her job. Dr. Ewald concludes in his report that he could find no objective evidence in any of these records to substantiate functional limitations that would preclude her ability to perform in material duties of her medium exertion level job.” Because MetLife validly exercised its right to rely on the opinions of physicians other than the treating physician, see McDonald, 347 F.3d at 169, we find Huffaker’s claim of error with respect to Drs. Ewald and DeSantis without merit. -16-