Attorneys Fees on a Successful ERISA Motion on Health Plan | San Diego, CA

ATTORNEYS FEE ISSUES WITH AN ATTORNEY NEGOTIATING DOWN A PERSONAL INJURY CLIENTS' HEALTH PLAN WHICH IS PROTECTED BY ERISA

You should also be aware that the federal law of ERISA provides for the potential award of attorneys fees to a prevailing party. In Carpenters Health v. Vonderharr, 384 F.3d 667 (9th Cir. 2004, cert. denied 126 S. Ct. 729 (2005), the Ninth Circuit ruled that an ERISA beneficiary prevailing in an action for reimbursement brought by the plan was entitled to the “special circumstances” presumption in favor of an award of fees. In fact, the Vonderharr court reversed the district court’s decision denying attorneys fees to the Vonderharrs. The Ninth Circuit then awarded fees to the Vonderharrs’ counsel on the appeal.  If you read the 9th Circuit’s unpublished opinion in Great West v. Knudson (affirmed by Supreme Court at 534 U.S. 204 (2002), you will note that the court affirmed an award of $80,000 to the prevailing plan member just for fees in the trial court. In Providence Health Plan v. Bush, supra, the district court awarded attorneys fees of $48,000 for bringing the 12(b)(6) motion to dismiss which was granted on the basis of the make whole rule. Notably, an ERISA plan is entitled to no presumption in favor of fees even where it prevails and since the ability to pay is one element of the five Hummell v. Rykoff factors, they are rarely awarded to a plan. Aa a result, you could argue to the ERISA protected health plan, "were litigation to result in the instant case, it is likely that the Xs would be the prevailing parties on either the Vonderharr issue requiring wrongful conduct or the Sereboff title argument, drastically reducing the plan’s claim. In either event, the Xs would be entitled to their full attorneys fees under the special circumstances presumption."

Request for Humanitarian Waiver On Top of ERISA Attorneys' Fees Arguments