Opinion ID: 201501
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Use of Same Examiner for STD and LTD Benefit Determinations

Text: 41 Wright argues that the same claims examiner denied both the STD and LTD claims, thus indicating that there was no independence between Hartford's STD and LTD departments. Appellant's Br. at 28. The district court correctly determined that the fact that the same examiner made both LTD and STD benefits determinations did not demonstrate a conflict of interest. 42 There are no statutory or regulatory provisions under ERISA requiring independence, and Wright cites to no authority indicating that such an overlap makes benefits decisions suspect. Furthermore, it is clear that the claims administrator reviewed the medical evidence submitted by Wright and based the benefits determination largely on the conclusions of Wright's own physician, Dr. Cohen. See App. at A245. 43