Opinion ID: 723147
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Dismissal of the Two ERISA Claims

Text: 8 Ms. Bowers sought compensatory and punitive damages, alleging that Sears violated ERISA by failing to maintain its plan pursuant to a written instrument and by failing to provide a summary description of the plan. Ms. Bowers argues that these statutory violations will cause her, rather than Sears, to pay expenses for necessary medical treatment. The district court, after noting that the relevant ERISA provision, 29 U.S.C. § 1132(A)(3), permitted only equitable relief, dismissed these claims, stating: 9 Assuming arguendo that Sears failed to maintain a written plan and summary description thereof, Bowers nevertheless proposes no set of facts to demonstrate that those failures by Sears contributed to the termination of Bowers' coverage under the original plan. Absent a specific suggestion that Sears' alleged statutory violations caused her injury, Bowers simply cannot state a claim for equitable relief. 10 We believe the district court correctly decided this issue; the amended complaint sought only damages and not equitable relief, and contained no facts which would show a causal connection between the violation and the injury. 11