Fier v. Unum Life Ins. Co. of America, 629 F.3d 1095 (9th Cir. 2011)

Facts and holding: In 1992, Robert Fier (“Fier”) was shot in the neck and rendered permanently quadriplegic. He filed a claim for benefits with Unum Life Insurance Company of America (“Unum”) under his ERISA-governed Accidental Death and Dismemberment Insurance Policy (“AD&D policy”).

UNUM denied Fier’s claim because the AD&D policy defined loss of hands or feet as “dismemberment by severance at or above the wrist or ankle joint” and, although Fier was a quadriplegic, his limbs were still physically attached to his body.

Fier filed suit in District Court asserting a claim for declaratory relief that he was entitled to benefits under the AD&D policy, among other claims. The District Court held that Fier was ineligible to receive benefits under the AD&D policy because his limbs were not physically severed from his body. Fier appealed to the Ninth Circuit, arguing that although his limbs remained physically attached to his body, he had no functional use of them due to the “severance” of his spinal cord.

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