Cremin v. McKesson Corp. Employees' Long Term Disability Benefit Plan

**What Happened** An employee at McKesson Corporation had their long-term disability benefits cut off and fought to get them restored. The employee was receiving payments through the company's disability benefit plan, which was managed by Liberty Life insurance company. When the benefits were terminated, the employee sued both the plan and Liberty Life under federal employment law (ERISA), arguing the decision was wrong and demanding their benefits be reinstated. **What the Court Decided** The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals sided with McKesson and Liberty Life, rejecting the employee's appeal. The court upheld a lower court's decision that found the benefit termination was proper. The employee did not win back their disability payments or receive any financial compensation. **Why This Matters for Workers** This case highlights how challenging it can be for employees to successfully appeal disability benefit denials, even when they make it to federal court. Workers should understand that insurance companies and benefit plans have significant discretion in making disability determinations. If facing a benefit denial, employees may want to carefully review their plan documents and consider getting legal help early in the appeals process, as courts often defer to the plan administrator's decisions.