SANTA ANA – A disabled woman alleges she was wrongfully terminated from receiving disability benefits.
Machell Brookens filed a complaint on Nov. 4 in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, Southern Division against The Prudential Insurance Co. of America, Supermedia Inc. Long Term Disability Coverage for All Part-Time and Full-Time Employees Who Are Not Covered By A Collective Bargaining Agreement Between the Employer and a Union and Does 1-10 alleging violation of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act.
According to the complaint, the plaintiff alleges that she suffered two separate accidents while on the job and is now disabled. She alleges she was initially receiving benefits until the benefits were terminated in 2015.
The plaintiff holds The Prudential Insurance Company of America, Supermedia Inc. Long Term Disability Coverage for All Part-Time and Full-Time Employees Who Are Not Covered By A Collective Bargaining Agreement Between The Employer And A Union and Does 1-10 responsible because the defendants allegedly failed to adequately review her medical records before denial of claims, failed to ask plaintiff to submit to a medical examination to obtain factual evaluation of her functional work capacity and refused to pay disability benefits to which plaintiff is entitled to.
The plaintiff seeks judgment against defendants, unpaid disability benefits, attorney's fees and costs, and further relief as the court deems just. She is represented by Debra K. Butler in Glendale and Jeffrey C. Metzger of Law Offices of Jeffrey C. Metzger in Newport Beach.
U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, Southern Division Case number 8:16-cv-02016