Phillips, Joann v. Metropolitan Life Insurance Company & Verizon Employee Benefits

OPINION

Opinion by

Justice MURPHY.

JoAnn Phillips appeals from a summary judgment rendered in favor of Metropolitan Life Insurance Company and The Verizon Employee Benefits Committee (VEBC) on her claim that MetLife, acting on behalf of VEBC, improperly withheld long-term disability benefits to which she was entitled. We affirm.

I. BACKGROUND

During her employment as a benefit specialist with a subsidiary of Verizon Communications, Inc., Phillips participated in an employee welfare benefit plan (the Plan) governed by the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). 29 U.S.C.A. §§…