Andre Lesgras v. Aetna Life Insurance

Mr. LeGras had 180 days to appeal an adverse decision from AETNA Life Insurance Company (“AETNA”), denying him long-term disability benefits under a Long Term Disability Plan (“Plan”) provided by his employer, Federal Express (“FedEx”). He lost his opportunity to appeal as a result of his own conduct; he sent his appeal to AETNA two days after the appeal period expired. Even LeGras agrees that he sent his appeal two days late. To excuse LeGras’s untimeliness, the majority turns a simple case of contract interpretation into an opportunity to (without precedent) expand federal common law…