Deciding an issue of first impression, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit recently held that a plaintiff’s claim under ERISA § 502(c)(1) was barred by Connecticut’s one-year statute of limitations for an action seeking to collect a statutorily-imposed civil penalty. Brown v. Rawlings Fin. Servs. LLC, (2d. Cir., 8/22/17) (Jacobs, Leval, Raggi, Js.).

Plaintiff, a plan participant, had filed suit against Rawlings, Aetna, and the William W. Backus Hospital claiming that they had failed to timely respond to her request for documents concerning her healthcare benefit plan. The defendants moved to dismiss her complaint on the ground that the suit was not timely filed, and the District Court granted the motion. Plaintiff thereafter appealed to the Second Circuit, arguing that the District Court had applied the incorrect limitations period.
Continue Reading ERISA § 502(c)(1) Claim for Statutory Penalties is Barred by One-Year Statute of Limitations, Second Circuit Holds