SAN FRANCISCO — A Contra Costa County nurse is suing Guardian Life Insurance, alleging breach of contract and violation of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act.
Pamela Richards of Concord, California, filed a complaint in July 26 in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California against Guardian Life Insurance Company of America and Thomas George Associates Ltd., alleging they illegally denied the plaintiff's claim for disability benefits.
According to the complaint, Richards had worked as a nurse for 35 years for Memorial Health Services Corp. until she became disabled from losing her vision. The suit says Richards initially was paid long-term disability benefits until they terminated in 2016.
The plaintiff alleges the defendants wrongfully failed to pay her benefits despite Richards still being disabled from vision loss.
Richards seeks trial by jury, benefits due, enjoin the defendant, actual damages of at least $75,000, statutory damages of $1,000 per violation, legal fees and all other relief the court deems just. She is represented by attorney Joseph A. Creitz of Creitz & Serebin LLP in San Francisco.
U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California case number 3:17-cv-04256-JCS