State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance v. Smith

OPINION AND ORDER

JONES, Chief Judge.

In this ERISA case, the question is whether the Virginia antisubrogation statute applies to medical expenses paid by an employee welfare benefit plan for the victim of an automobile accident, where the plan was self-funded for the medical benefits paid, but offered vision care benefits that were funded by insurance. I hold that the fact that the plan in question offered other separate insured benefits, not involved in the present dispute, did not exempt the Virginia statute from ERISA preemption.

I

State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company (“State Farm”)…