Court rejects time-limit bar on ERISA appeal where MetLife failed to include notice of time limits in its notice of denial of benefits

The Sixth Circuit overturned a lower court decision upholding MetLife's rejection, as late, of the ERISA claim of a disabled worker in Moyer v. Metropolitan Life.  The appeals court pointed out that under the ERISA statutory scheme, the insurer that decides disability issues must inform the claimant of appellate deadlines in order to enforce them.

Since MetLife's denial letter didn't meet the express terms of section 1133 of the statute, it did not trigger the time limits for judicial review.