DeLisle v. Sun Life Assurance Co. of Canada

**What Happened** Sherry DeLisle worked for Sun Life Assurance and became disabled, making her unable to work. She applied for long-term disability benefits through her employer's insurance plan, but Sun Life denied her claim. DeLisle had already been approved for Social Security disability benefits, which meant the federal government recognized her as disabled. Despite this, Sun Life refused to pay her workplace disability benefits, so she sued the company. **What the Court Decided** The court ruled in DeLisle's favor, finding that Sun Life's decision to deny benefits was "arbitrary and capricious" - meaning unreasonable and unfair. The court criticized Sun Life for not following proper procedures when reviewing her claim and for failing to give adequate consideration to the fact that Social Security had already determined she was disabled. **Why This Matters for Workers** This ruling is important because it shows that insurance companies can't simply ignore other official disability determinations when making their own decisions. It also reinforces that employers and their insurers must follow fair, reasonable procedures when reviewing disability claims. Workers who are denied benefits may have grounds to challenge those decisions in court, especially if proper procedures weren't followed.